Hope
by UA
Summary: Sequel to Always; SL, GH, TC and more. COMPLETE 11-15-03
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Passions. They belong to JER and NBC. Any characters you do not recognize are my own creation. : )  
  
Note: This is a sequel to my story "Always" which can be found here at Fanfiction.Net. "Hope" picks up a few years after "Always" ended.  
  
Enjoy the story.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
"You're not going to let HER play, are you?" Dylan spat in accusation. Oh the horror! A girl. Playing basketball. With them. The best basketball players in Harmony. In Maine. In the United States! Well.the best ten- year-old basketball players. Alright. So they weren't ten YET. Just a few more months, though. And the last thing he needed was having his big, bad reputation RUINED when word got out he had actually-GASP-played anything with a girl. It didn't matter that she happened to be THE prettiest girl he had ever seen. The fact of the matter was.she was still of the female sex. Therefore, he didn't like her, and he didn't want to get her girl cooties. Jake shrugged his slim shoulders. "So," he rolled his brown eyes. Shoving a stubborn lock of his unruly brown hair from his forehead absently and shifting the basketball to his other hand. Resting it on his hip. He glanced at Ali out of the corner of his eye. Her big blue eyes shone back at him trustingly. "She's pretty good, Dylan. You should give her a chance." A blind man could have seen Ali's beaming smile.  
  
"Good?" Dylan scoffed. "Jake. You got it so wrong. Girls aren't good at basketball. They suck at it. All of 'em." Ali's chin jutted out defiantly, and she crossed her arms around her middle. Blue eyes glittering with anger. "That's not true. My mommy can play basketball." Jake grinned lopsidedly. Boy did she ever! Ali's mom beat Uncle Luis ALL the time. "Aww." Dylan mocked. "How sweet," he rolled his eyes. Voice dripping with sarcasm. "Hear that, Jake? She's still a baby. Still calls her mom 'Mommy.' I bet you still suck your thumb at night, too. Come on, Jake. We men don't hang out with babies like her," Dylan stuck his tongue out at Ali rudely. Jake's brown eyes moved back and forth between Dylan and Ali. If he picked Dylan, his mom would make sitting painful for the rest of the week. But if he chose Ali, Dylan would NEVER let him live it down. He knew Dylan. He was an okay guy. When he liked you. When he didn't.watch out. He didn't think he could take the constant teasing. He ducked his head from Ali's trusting blue eyes. "What's the matter?" Dylan grumbled. "You like her or something?" Jake's brown head shot up immediately. "NNNNOOOO!!! No. No, I don't like her," he rushed to tell Dylan. "I'm just nice to her 'cause her mom and my mom are best friends. You're right. She IS a baby," he said quickly. Dylan grinned at him and stole the basketball from his hands. "Baby, baby, baby," he chanted as Ali walked away. Jake sneaked a look at her just before she disappeared into Sheridan's office. And Dylan took that opportunity to bounce the basketball off the side of his tousled brown head. "Get in the game, Bennett."  
  
She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't. That was her mantra as she trudged dejectedly across the gym. But her chin quivered, and Sheridan knew as soon as she lay eyes on her little daughter, her heart had been broken. "Ali, baby. What's the matter?" When her mommy called her baby, one fat tear that had been shimmering in her big blue eyes just seconds earlier escaped. Followed by another one. And another one. Until the dam broke loose, and she starting sobbing her heart out. Cristian ceased kicking his feet back and forth against his mommy's desk. The drumming sound not so wonderful as it was a moment before, and his brown eyes welled with sympathy. Sheridan gathered Ali in her arms and sank back into her chair again. Stroking the long, silky gold tresses back from Ali's feverish cheeks and kissing her forehead. Murmuring soothing words as Ali's shoulders hitched, and she clung to her. Cristian wiped Ali's crystal tears away with his tiny fingers. "Shh, AliCat. Don't cry. Don't be sad." Sheridan smiled tenderly at her little son and opened her arms to each of her children. And soon, she had them both curled up beneath her chin. She waved Chad off when he appeared in the doorway. "Tell Mommy what happened, Sweetie," she prodded gently.  
  
Ali drew back and stared at her with red-rimmed blue eyes. "Dylan was mean to me," she sniffled. "And Jake doesn't like me anymore." Her pretty little face crumpled, and a fresh wave of tears began. Cristian snuggled close to his sister. His little arms wrapped tight around her. "I'm sure he didn't mean it, Sweetie." "Really?" Ali questioned. "Really," Sheridan assured her. "Really," Cristian echoed. A smile already tugging at the corners of his mouth. Sheridan laughed and ruffled Cristian's dark curls affectionately. "Oh you," she teased. Tickling his tummy and making him squirm and squeal with laughter. Ali giggled and joined in on the fun. And that's how Luis found them. Engaged in a full-out tickle war. "Why do I always miss the fun?" he grinned. Leaning against the doorframe. "Daddy!" Ali cried happily. She raced Cristian the short distance to their father and launched herself into his arms. "What's this I see?" Luis frowned. "Tears? Tears on my AliCat's cheeks?" He looked to Sheridan for answers, but she just shook her head with a smile. Mouthing 'BOYS.' Luis groaned. Boys already! What was he going to do when she was 16 instead of 8? He was exhausted just thinking of all the booby traps he'd have to set around the perimeter of the house. Sheridan lifted Cristian into her arms with a groan. "My little man is growing up," she laughed after she caught her breath again. Ali and Cristian giggled when their parents leaned in for a kiss. That was just a little too long for young eyes.  
  
"Ahem," a throat cleared behind them. "How many years is it? Ten? More?" Chad shook his head. "Man. And you still can't keep your hands off of each other." Sheridan and Luis gazed deeply into each other's eyes. "Sheridan, Gwen wants to talk to you." Sheridan stood on tiptoe. Looking over Luis's shoulder for Gwen. "Where is she?" she finally asked in a puzzled voice. Chad just laughed at the look of total bewilderment written plainly across her features. "She's outside. She said she'd come in, but Sara is in the middle of one of her infamous hissy fits-and let me tell you.this one takes the cake," he whispered in a low voice. "Those lungs have only grown more powerful over the years." Luis smirked. Ear plugs were a permanent fixture in the Bennett household. Offered to anyone who crossed the threshold. "What is it now?" Sheridan winced. "Poor Gwen," she muttered under her breath as Cristian slipped from her hip. To the ground below. "I'll be right back," she said. Blowing Luis and the kids each a kiss. "Miss Ali," Chad grinned. Bending at the waist so they were almost eye level. "A little birdie told me you been crying. Now, there's a lot of things I hate hearing, but nothing makes me sadder than tears in those pretty eyes of yours. Come on. Tell me who did it. Whisper it right here in this ear," he offered an ear to her. "Then I can go beat him up for you." "Now, Chad," Luis chided. "You can't beat him up. It's against the law. Besides.that's my job," he said. Scooping Ali up in his arms and walking outside. "Come on, Little Man," Chad held out a hand for Cristian.  
  
"Gwen," Sheridan smiled thinly as Sara's screams reverberated off the windows in the back. Gwen threw her arms over the steering wheel. Her messy blond head following. "Sara Bennett.if you don't stop screaming right this instant.I'm going to send you to live with Grandma. PERMANENTLY." Sheridan's mouth hung open in amazement when Sara's scream died in her throat. And the petulant little girl buried her face behind her sister's back. "Hi," Emily greeted sweetly. "Aww, Sweetheart," Sheridan said. "You don't look like you feel so good." The sparkle in Emily's brown eyes was dulled. Replaced with fatigue. And her normally healthy complexion was unusually pale. With just the hint of faint red dots appearing. "Chickenpox," Gwen sighed. "And what about Sara?" Sheridan whispered. Not missing the narrowing of Sara's glittering brown eyes. "What else?" Gwen rolled her eyes. "She's actually jealous of all the attention Emily's getting. She wants chickenpox, too." Sheridan bit her lip and raised her brows at that little tidbit. "We're twins," Sara huffed. "I want dots! I want dots! I want dots!" "If you keep it up, God might grant your wish," Gwen warned. Feeling particularly evil after a long day spent at the hospital where it seemed there was a chickenpox epidemic. "And then you'll have so many dots.your face will look like a round, pudgy tomato." "Like Grandma's," Sara asked. Panic-stricken. Sheridan laughed into her arm. Not daring to let either little girl see her. "NO!" Sara wailed. "I don't want dots! I don't want dots! I don't want dots!" "Then pray!" Gwen barked. "And ask God for a miracle, Doll. You already have one. Right here," she said. Tapping the end of her nose in demonstration. And Sara screamed in horror when she saw just that in the reflection of the rear-view mirror. "Sheridan," Gwen squeaked weakly. "Please. Help me. I will love you forever."  
  
Luis leaned back against the bleachers. His lips curved in amusement as Ali-with a little help from Chad-beat the pants off of Jake and Sir Dylan. Cristian cheered his big sister from his father's side. "Yay, Ali!" he clapped. Luis burst into laughter when Sheridan came walking back into the Youth Center. Jake's duffel bag slung over her shoulder. The oddest look on her face. Looks like they were going to have a guest by the initials J and B tonight at Casa de Lo-Fitz. MJ came tearing down the aisle toward him and Cristian. "Slow down, Hurricane," Luis teased. Catching MJ by the shoulders as he skidded past. MJ's brown eyes sparkled deviously as he yanked Cristian from the bleachers and pulled him away. Ready to terrorize some sweet, innocent little girls. And use Cristian to get close. Kay plopped down beside him heavily. But Joshua didn't even move a muscle. "How was the appointment?" Luis asked. Brushing Joshua's thick black hair from his forehead. "That's next week. We had to reschedule because Miguel couldn't get off work." Sheridan joined them after storing Jake's bag in her office. Taking time to smile and wave at Ali on the court before turning her full attention back on Kay and the little boy curled peacefully in her arms. "Still don't know about the implants yet, I assume." "No," Kay murmured as Joshua shifted in her arms. "It seems like we've been waiting forever. I don't want any more rescheduled appointments or excuses, dammit. I want.I want my son to be able to hear my voice. I mean, I'm his mother, and he has no idea. No clue." "There is ONE bright side," Luis attempted to lighten the atmosphere. "When MJ and Sara are having one of their knock-down drag outs, he's blissfully ignorant. Hank could kick his own ass for not investing in ear plug stock years ago." Kay and Sheridan laughed. "Jake's calmed down-thank God for YOU," Kay grinned at Sheridan. Reminding Sheridan that yes, she and Luis got to play host for young Master Bennett tonight. Tomorrow night. Maybe even-EEK-several nights. "But Sara more than filled his shoes," she snickered.  
  
"What's so funny?" Jake grumbled as he trod over to them with a sour face. Getting beat by a girl was the worst. He still said Ali cheated. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't. "Nothing," Kay sobered. A twinkle still in her dark eyes, though, as she studied her young cousin. "Congratulations, Bud. You just won yourself a free vacation at Princess Ali's house. Think of all the fun you can have," she wiggled her brows at him teasingly. Yeah, Jake thought silently. All the fun. All the charred dinners. All the meowing and screeching of Miss Priss. All the lovey-dovey-ness a 9 year-old boy like him could stand. Yeah. Sounded like fun, alright. Ali and Cristian were just too PERFECT to be real. And now he had gone and lost to her. Ali wouldn't brag. But that was ten times worse! 'Cause he already felt bad enough as it was. And Sheridan and Uncle Luis knew exactly what had happened. They knew everything, he thought with an uncontrollable roll of his brown eyes. EVERYTHING. Sometimes he had the sneaking suspicion Uncle Luis was God's cousin. That could explain why he seemed to always figure out it was him that stuffed Miss Priss in the dryer- it was so much fun watching her roll around and around in there, even if it was only for a couple minutes! He was the one that painted Ali's eyelids with nail polish last Halloween when he spent the night with her. And set up the video camera to tape in the bathroom. Just to find out a few things a boy like him had to know. Like for instance.did fine, upstanding guys like Uncle Luis leave the toilet lid up, too? He NEVER, EVER expected to see what he did on that tape. Sheridan sure did scream a lot. "Jake.Jake.Jacob Bennett!" he heard his name being called from somewhere very far away. "Hurry up. We're going home." Home, sweet home, he thought with a grin as he raced Ali to the door. Maybe this could be fun, after all. It took a lot to make Sheridan lose her patience. It'd take a lot before she got red-hot. And in the meantime, he could have the time of his life.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Jake's brown eyes darted back and forth as he checked their position. "All clear. Smiley.come in." Sheridan paused in the doorway to the kitchen. An amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she heard Cristian's response crackle over the walkie talkie. The closer it got to bedtime (and their routine of song or story) the harder it was to distinguish his words. In Gwen's words, "Cristian's petted rotten. Just like Ali." "Bubbles and The Pain aweren't hwere." Jake rolled his eyes. When was the kid going to learn to talk plain? "Smiley," he hissed. "Put Mr. Ribbit under the pillow. Repeat.put Mr. Ribbit under the pillow. Copy? Cristian," Jake huffed in exasperation. "Do you got the frog under the pillow or not?" "Copy," Cristian finally answered. "Jake!" his panicked little voice echoed in the kitchen. "Daddy's coming!" "Get out of there, Smiley. Get out of there!"  
  
A loud knock sounded at the back door, and Jake jumped several feet in the air. Groaning and rubbing the goose egg on his forehead before he scurried away unnoticed. Or so he thought. "Doing a good deed again? Those Bennetts. Sneaky little devils. That reminds me," she grinned with sparkling hazel eyes. "How's the demon seed these days? It's been so long." Sheridan laughed embarrassedly at Abby's nickname for MJ. "MJ's fine. He only had to stand in the corner at school once this week." "Wow!" Abby snickered. Plopping down on a stool at the bar. "We're making progress." She sniffed the air. "I see we made dinner again tonight as well," she cracked. Sheridan pushed a bothersome lock of blond hair from her forehead. Propping her elbows on the counter. "Jake 'accidentally' dumped a whole pitcher of cherry kool-aid on Ali's head. I was a little distracted." "I'd say," Abby snorted.  
  
Luis appeared in the kitchen. Carrying his despondent daughter. A fluffy white turban wrapped around her head. "What's the matter, AliCat?" Abby quizzed the pouting youngster. Ali's pout grew even bigger if that were possible, and she burrowed her head in Luis's neck. Loosening the turban in the process. Abby barely contained her gasp of surprise at what she saw. Ali's beautiful blond mane was no longer blond. It was PINK! "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" Abby exclaimed. "AliCat! Your hair's absolutely GORGEOUS. Do you think you can fill me in on a few of your beauty secrets? I've always wanted pink hair. It's like so cool," she said. Doing her best impersonation of a Valley Girl.  
  
Ali's blue eyes peeked at Abby cautiously. Sparkling as Abby pretended to ponder the issue further. "Actually.I think PURPLE would be much more shocking. Care to help me make a fashion statement, AliCat? Sheridan," she whirled on her heel to look into Sheridan's twinkling blue eyes. "Please tell me you have some grape kool-aid somewhere." "I don't know," Sheridan said. Barely restraining from bursting into hysterical laughter. "But be my guest. You're welcome to it," she held out her arm. "What are you waiting for, AliCat? Don't you want the job? You just have to be my glamour technician." Ali slid down her daddy's length. Giggling her pretty little pink head off as she padded after Abby on bare feet. Sheridan laughed, too. At the absurd notion that the pink hair and pjs was oddly reminescent of the bottle of Peptobismol in their medicine cabinet.  
  
Luis crept up behind her with a grin. Snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. "How many?" she laughed. Leaning her head back against his strong shoulder. "Five times after you left. You'll definitely need to pick up a new bottle of shampoo tomorrow." "Well.at least tomorrow's Saturday," Sheridan sighed. "Oh my goodness! Luis!" she exclaimed. Twisting around in his arms. "Tomorrow's Saturday!" Luis smirked. "I thought we'd already established that." "Luis," Sheridan rolled her eyes. Swatting his chest playfully. "Saturday. As in NO SCHOOL. As in the whole day spent together. As in a whole day with just me, Ali, Cristian, AND Jake." Luis chuckled. "Yeah," he prodded. "Luis," she groaned. "Let's just have a run-through of what's occurred this evening. Keeping in mind it's only been a few hours long. First," she counted off on her fingers. "The trip to the grocery store."  
  
Luis's brown eyes twinkled at the still-fresh memory. Sure, it was less than funny a few hours ago. But now.he couldn't help but see the humor in it. "Playing hide and go seek in the freezer section is not only dangerous, it's.he scared the hell out of that poor old woman when she reached for that t.v. dinner. Then there's the little matter of practicing his quarterback skills in the aisles by tossing rolls of toilet paper back and forth to Cristian." "At least toilet paper is soft," Luis grinned. "And putting Cristian on the conveyor belt to be scanned." "You forgot about the buggy races in the parking lot." "I didn't forget," Sheridan shook her head. "Two more inches, and we'd be paying for someone's car to be repaired."  
  
"The Kool-Aid," Luis supplied. "Bringing up that damn tape again," Sheridan blushed scarlet. "Come on, Baby," Luis teased. Slipping his hands in the back pockets of her jeans and pressing her even closer. Wearing that devilishly handsome grin on his face that made her weak-kneed. "For all he knew, you were just really pissed that he saw you in the shower. How many times does that make it?" "Make what?" she asked in a puzzled voice. "How many close-calls?" "Oh god," she groaned. Dropping her head against his chest. "I don't even want to think about THAT," she mumbled. "That reminds me.did you install that new lock we picked up at the grocery store yet?" "I did," he whispered. "Does that mean." "Luis," she rolled her eyes. "How you can even think about making love with that little prankster in the house.our previous track record." "You're my wife," he said. Pecking her lips lightly. "My beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, amazing wife. Making love with you is ALWAYS on my mind, Sweetheart," he told her in a low, desire-filled voice. Immediately breaking the tension with a waggle of his eyebrows. "But just in case.I think we should swipe one of the chairs from in here to shove under the door handle."  
  
"Ooo," a teasing voice filled the room. "I had you guys pegged all wrong. Wicked," Abby grinned. Holding up a strand of her formerly tawny hair and showing them it was indeed now purple. Well.just a chunk behind her right ear. "How do you like my new look?" she asked. "Me and Ali are thinking of forming our own punk rock band," she grinned. Ali giggled and climbed onto the bar stool. "Mommy? Can I have some ice cream?" "May I," Sheridan corrected with a smile. "Not tonight, Sweetie. It's almost bedtime." Ali's sweet face fell. But just a moment. "May I have a cookie then?" she asked. "Here," Abby hissed. Swiping a chocolate chip cookie from the cookie jar and waving it behind her back. "Abby," Sheridan groaned. "What?" Abby asked innocently. "What have I done now?" Sheridan crossed her arms with a sigh. "Aww.Mom," Abby whined. "She said 'may I.' That certainly deserves a cookie." "Okay," Sheridan softened. Tousling Ali's pink locks. "But just one."  
  
"Things are awfully quiet," Luis mused. And Sheridan's blue eyes grew wide. "Where's Jake and Cristian?" They heard a muffled pounding noise coming from what sounded like Cristian's room. And something that sounded amazingly similar to "Mommy! Help me!" Cookie crumbs fell from Ali's lips as she asked, "Daddy.was that Cristian?" "Yeah," Luis told her. Sweeping past. "What are you waiting for, AliCat?" Abby grinned. "We can't miss all the action." Ali scampered after her, and soon they found themselves in Cristian's room.  
  
"Jake.Cristian," Sheridan called. "Where are you?" Jake ambled through the door. Whistling under his breath with a mischievous grin on his lips. "Jake, where's Cristian?" Jake's brown eyes shifted around the room. Not meeting hers. "You know.I'm having a hard time remembering," he said. Shoving his hands in his pants' pockets. "Mommy." Sheridan's blue eyes searched the room frantically for her son. "Mommy!" Ali squealed. Her blue eyes enormous as she spotted a familiar pair of white-socked feet dangling from the bottom of the top bunk of Cristian's bunk bed. Luis couldn't help but crack a smile when he tried to scold Jake. Abby turned her head upside down and stared up at Cristian. Secured to the bunk's bottom. "Pretty handy with duct tape. You're a man of many talents, young Jacob Bennett." "Thank you," Jake grinned. Accepting her praise. "How in the world did you manage this?" Sheridan asked in wonder as she struggled to free her son. "Practice makes perfect," Jake told her.  
  
It took them nearly a half-hour to get Cristian down. Abby couldn't stop her naughty laughter. Especially when the poor little guy finally lost his battle against sleep. All tuckered out. Sheridan tucked Cristian's blanket under his chin with a tender smile. "Never a dull moment at Casa de Lo-Fitz," Abby teased as they saw her out. Wrapped in each other's arms. Ali nodding sleepily on the sofa. Jake being banished to bed. Early. They watched Abby's taillights disappear in the darkness. And turned to their dozing daughter. Luis scooped Ali up in his arms easily, and Sheridan pushed her bedroom door open. Kissing Ali's forehead as she snuggled under the covers and switching her bedside lamp off. The brand- new lock clicked into place behind them, and Sheridan laughed as Luis backed her up. Attacking her with kisses. Clothes flying everywhere before the back of her knees hit the mattress, and they fell in a heap on the bed. A jumble of tangled limbs. Enjoying themselves to the fullest. And then. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! MMMMMOOOMMMMYYYY!!!!! DDDDDDDAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYY!!!!! MR. RIBBITT!" "Jake," they groaned simultaneously.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
"I already said I was sorry," Jake mumbled under his breath as Sheridan pushed the front door open. "I didn't even know Ali was there. It's not like I was aiming for her or anything. I swear. Honest." "Honest," Cristian parroted. "We didn't see her, Mommy." Sheridan shifted Ali's limp body to her other arm and studied the pair before her. Jake's eyes were missing that mischievous twinkle. And he seemed genuinely remorseful. "Okay," she sighed. "I believe you." Jake's face broke out into a slow grin, and he pumped his arm in the air. She barely restrained from rolling her eyes when Cristian mimicked his actions. Two days. Two days, and he was already idolizing him.  
  
The sound of a horn tooting in the front yard had both boys scrambling outside to meet Luis. Ali stirred in her arms and looked at her with red- rimmed blue eyes. "Is that Daddy?" "That's Daddy," she smiled. Brushing Ali's damp, still slightly pink hair from her forehead and planting a gentle kiss there. She fingered the mottled purple bruise around Ali's right eye carefully. "Still hurt?" she winced as Ali cried out softly. "Oh, Sweetie. I'm so sorry," she sighed. Hugging her daughter close again. "Just wait until Jake's daddy gets a hold of him," she teased. "Why he.he'll beat Jake up for you." Instead of the sweet giggles she was aiming for, Ali pulled back with a serious expression on her little face. "Jake and Cristian didn't mean it, Mommy. I don't want his daddy to do anything." "You're just too sweet for your own good, Baby," she smiled. Nuzzling Ali's silky cheeks. "Come on. Let's go see Daddy."  
  
Luis stopped in his tracks right outside the door when he saw her. The angry purple mark making him suck in a deep breath. "She's okay," Sheridan murmured in his ear. Rubbing his arm reassuringly as he took Ali from her arms and squeezed her tight. "Man, guys," Luis whistled. Glancing at the two guilty parties. "They really did a number on you, didn't they AliCat?" "Look, Uncle Luis," Jake piped up. "You can count all the laces from the ball," he said. Pointing at Ali's wound. "Ali's pretty tough. She didn't cry half as much as Sara when I." "AHA!" Luis shook an accusatory finger at him. A smirk on his lips. "Just how INNOCENT, are you?" "Hey!" Jake huffed. "What happened to 'innocent 'til proven guilty'?" "Little buddy," Luis grinned down at him. "I'm impressed." Jake's brown eyes twinkled at the praise.  
  
Ali lay her head down on her daddy's shoulder. "Tired, AliCat? 'Cause I was thinking.I was thinking about taking the whole gang out to the Lobster Shack. But if you're too tired, we'll just stay home. But then Mommy's going to have to cook," he whispered. In a not-so-soft voice. Ali giggled when her mommy swatted at her daddy in mock hurt. "Luis!" "LOBSTER SHACK!!!" Jake and Cristian shouted their two cents very loudly. "Jake," Sheridan pretended to pout. "Sorry, Sheridan," Jake made no bones about it. "But I still have soot in my mouth from last night." Luis rumbled with laughter. And this time.Sheridan really did smack him. Soundly on the rear end as he carried Ali down the hall. "Lobster Shack it is."  
  
"Almost ready," Sheridan smiled from Ali's doorway. Watching as Ali tugged at the hem of one of her favorite shirts. A white, ribbed tee with tiny pink flowers along the collar. In her matching pink shorts, Sheridan thought she looked adorable. But then she wasn't very objective.she ALWAYS found her adorable. Black eye and all. "Here. Let Mommy do your hair," she said. Taking the silver brush from Ali's hands and brushing through the thick, soft mane. "You have such beautiful hair. Mommy's jealous," she teased as she tied the pink ribbon in place. Ali giggled. "We did you a favor, Ali," Jake's voice called from the door. "Least now you don't look like a walking bottle of Peptobismol." Ali's jaw dropped, and Sheridan shooed Jake out of the room. "I'm sorry," Jake grumbled behind the closed door. "You look real pretty. Almost as pretty as your mom." "What's that?" she could hear Luis ask. "Putting the moves on my wife again, Bennett?" "Aww, Man," Jake whined. "A guy can't catch a break around here." Sheridan and Ali laughed. And soon, Luis's smiling face joined theirs in the reflection of Ali's vanity mirror. "Wow!" Luis exclaimed. "Do I have the two prettiest girls or what?" "Daddy!"  
  
Of course, dinner with Jake just wasn't complete without a few shenanigans. In other words.all eating utensils became launch pads for torpedoed food items. Straight at unsuspecting victims. Including Jake's favorite victim of all: T.C. Russell. T.C's low growl had Jake ducking under the checkered tablecloth and not daring to play with his food again. Especially not once T.C. and Eve joined them at their table. Nope. Jake was on his best behavior. T.C. and Luis bandied back and forth on Harmony High's chances in the upcoming season while Sheridan and Eve just enjoyed each other's company. "BOOOOORING," Jake muttered under his breath. "Sheridan's cooking is better than this," he groaned. Cristian pushed his food back and forth on his plate with his fork. The excitement gone the minute he actually had to EAT it. Both boys were thrilled the moment their 'torture' ended, and the whole gang piled into the SUV.  
  
The second the SUV slowed to a stop, Jake and Cristian were out and bounding up the sidewalk leading to the front door. Racing inside and stripping their 'nice' attire from their bodies. Hurrying to enjoy the last minutes of sunlight. Outside. Luis chuckled as he slid from his seat. "AliCat.we're home. Wake up, Sleepyhead," he teased. Ali sighed in her sleep but didn't wake when he slid his arms underneath her knees and lifted her against his chest. "Rough day," he whispered against her brow. "In a whole string of rough days," Sheridan sighed. Tracing Ali's delicate jawline with her fingertip. "Poor little thing. Think she'll be too disappointed if we don't wake her up and just let her sleep?" Luis shook his head and leaned forward to kiss his wife on the lips. "Lead the way," he smiled.  
  
They worked together. Luis slipping the tiny tee-shirt over Ali's head while Sheridan pulled the shorts down her little legs. Unbuckling the scuffed white sandals and placing them at the foot of the bed. Gathering the silky pink material in her hands and sticking Ali's blond head through it while Luis fitted her arms through the sleeves. "Aww, Sweetie," Sheridan gasped. Fingering a faint bruise on Ali's back. "They really did treat you like one of the guys." Luis arched a black brow at her in question. "Dylan and Jake. Rough-housing again." Luis nodded his head. Satisfied with the explanation. Those boys. "I'm going to have to have a little talk with them. Warn them. Tell them to be more careful. Nobody hurts my AliCat and gets away with it." Sheridan laughed. "You're awful. Whatever are you going to do when she's 16 and has boys chasing after her? When she has her first broken heart? You can't protect her forever, Luis," she smiled at him. Walking out the door. "You wanna bet?" Luis asked in a low voice as he tucked Ali's covers beneath her chin with one last kiss to her forehead. "Nobody," he repeated as he pulled her bedroom door closed.  
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"GGGGGGGGGGGGWWWWWWWWEEEEEEENNNNNNNN!!!" Rebecca Hotchkiss screeched as she slammed the front door behind her. "GGGGGGGWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEE-" "Becs!" Hank groaned. Clamping his hand over her mouth. "Now.I'm not going to move my hand until you promise.NO MORE SCREECHING. Comprende?" Rebecca rolled her blue eyes at her son-in-law. "You swine," she glared as he removed his hand carefully. Only to return it almost immediately at her seething insult. "Easy on the insults," he warned. "Okay," Rebecca grumbled. Yanking his hand from her mouth. "Where's that daughter of mine?" she asked. Blue eyes darting from side to side. "Here, Mother," Gwen sighed heavily. Entering the living room. Looking like Hell, Hank thought with a grin. But he still thought she looked beautiful. "What's so important that you had to scream it so loud they could hear you in Siberia?" she said snottily. Her patience worn extremely thin dealing with two chicken pox-riddled girls the last 36 hours. "Sara and Emily are sleeping," she hissed. "It's the only time they don't whine about itching." "Grounds for murder I right there," Hank piped up. With an evil gleam in his brown eyes. "UGH!" Rebecca stomped her foot. Causing Hank to snicker like a guilty little boy. "Mother," Gwen said in a low voice. "Quieter," she narrowed her brown eyes. "You still haven't told me why you're here."  
  
"Babe," Hank said with false sweetness. "Like a mother needs a reason to visit her daughter." "Bennett," Gwen growled. "Mother," she huffed. Rebecca threw her arms up in the air. Jerking the scarf around her neck off. "This!" she yelled. "This is why I'm here," she cried. Pointing at her neck. Hank's brown eyes grew wide at the sight of what seemed like MILLIONS of red dots on her neck. "Damn," he pretended to be crestfallen. "I want to be cool like you, Becs. It's not fair," he whined. "But I DID give them to Sammy. Chicken pox in high school is the bomb." "One more word.one more word, and I'm going to wring your scrawny swine neck," Rebecca shrieked. "Grandma!" Emily gasped in horror. "Don't hurt Daddy!" she cried. Racing to Hank's side and lifting her arms to be picked up. "They itch, Daddy," she whined. Scratching furiously. Everywhere. "Haha! You got 'em, too," Sara jeered with shining brown eyes. Sticking her tongue out at her grandma when her mom wasn't looking. Hank chuckled at the sight. Ruffling Sara's already messy mop of brown hair affectionately. "You're just like your father," Rebecca scowled. "Through and through. You and your brother." "Mommy," Emily said. Laying her sleep-tousled brown head on Hank's shoulder and swinging her bare feet to and fro. "I miss Jake. When's he coming home?"  
  
"Maybe sooner than later," Gwen told her. "He hit poor Ali in the face with a baseball yesterday at the park. And he was so proud that you could count each lace of the ball, too," she rolled her eyes goodnaturedly. "Sheridan tried to downplay it, but Jake said the bruise was the size of Texas." "I knew it!" Rebecca exclaimed. Her hands on her hips. "There should be a Public Health Advisory branded on that child's forehead. Jacob Henry Bennett may prove harmful to your health." "Creative, Becs," Hank smirked. "Don't even get me started on YOU," she spat. "Kids!" Gwen yelled. Covering her ears. Sara and Emily giggled. "Mother," she sighed. "I'm sorry you got.I'm sorry you have the chicken pox." "And YOU gave them to me," Rebecca accused. Wagging a finger under Emily's nose. "But Grandma," Emily pouted. Her big brown eyes welling up with tears. "I thought you liked my hugs and kisses." "Yeah," Hank said. "Admit it, Becs," he grinned. "You love them. Especially since they're the only ones you get," he added. Muttering under his breath. Rebecca shot him a withering glare, then softened. "Oh what the hell," she sighed in exasperation. "You've already ruined my looks," she lamented. Hank snorted in disbelief. "Come to Grandma," she held out her hands.  
  
"Where did I go wrong?" Hank commiserated with his wife as they watched Emily snuggle in Rebecca's arms. "Dad," Sara rolled her eyes. "Emmy's nice to EVERYONE." "Yeah," Hank kidded. "I think there was a mix-up at the hospital." "And my twin sister's out there somewhere. With this whole other family," Sara grew excited. "No fair, huh?" Hank teased. "You two." Gwen chided. "Stop that. So Emmy's not the little devils you," she looked at Sara, "your father," she shook her head at Hank, "and your brother are." "She's like Ali," Sara's said. Her features scrunched up in something close to disgust. "Sara!" Gwen scolded. "What?" Sara shrugged her little shoulders. "Ali NEVER gets in trouble. NEVER. It's NOT fair. I ALWAYS get in trouble." "Let me think about that one for a sec, Sar," Hank pretended to mull it over. "Why is that?" "Could it be you are an accessory to Jake's many, many crimes?" "What's an acc.access." "Somebody who helps. Just like you helped Jake tape Emmy to the bottom of your bunk bed." Sara grinned proudly. "She let us," she rolled her brown eyes. Clawing absently at the pox on her arm. "Besides," Gwen continued. Laughing as she watched her mother and daughter. "Right now, I think it's more of a 'You scratch my itch, I scratch yours'."  
  
"Mother? Are you staying for dinner?" Gwen asked. Ignoring the pleading looks in the two sets of identical brown eyes before her. Rebecca tilted her head to the side. Studying Hank's grimace. And smirked. "Of course, Gwen. I'd love to stay for dinner. Let me just call your father." "Mom," Sara whined. "Why? Why? Why?" she wailed woefully. "Sara Bennett." "Come on, Toots," Hank teased. Swinging her over his shoulder. "You, too, Emmy Lou. The pajamas have to go." Emmy looked down at her pale blue pjs with monkeys all over them. Then at Sara's. "But Daddy." "Daddy's right," Gwen told her. Kissing her forehead in passing. "Help them get dressed, Bennett. Mother." "Gwen." Rebecca stared at her with uncomprehending blue eyes. "Get moving, Becs," Hank grinned. "You eat, you help. I think your mother should get the main course started, and you can fix the salad. That way you can enjoy some much needed moments of R and R." Gwen raked her fingers through her wild blond hair with a smile. "You know what, Hank? That sounds like the best idea I've heard in ages. You don't mind, do you, Mother? I'm terribly exhausted. Haven't slept in hours. I'll just rest here." "Mmm, mmm," Hank taunted. "I just know it's going to be a feast." Rebecca's jaw dropped in shock. "I can't even boil water." "Zap it," Hank suggested with a wicked smile. "They're Bennetts," he said. Pointing to the girls. "We're not a picky people." Rebecca huffed and stomped toward the kitchen. "She's too easy," Sara muttered with a shake of her brown head. "Too easy."  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
"Jake!" Gwen exclaimed when she saw the faint remains of the infamous bruise several days later. "Why the hell have you been using Ali for your personal punching bag?" Jake gave her a funny look. "But Mom." "No buts. Come here, Sweetheart. Let me see." She inspected the wound and drew Ali to her in a hug. "Me and you are going to have a little talk when we get home, Mister," she warned over the top of Ali's golden head. "Are you sure you're okay?" she quizzed Ali. Ali smiled sweetly and nodded her head. "It doesn't hurt anymore." "Good," Gwen smiled back. Jake huffed impatiently. "You coming Ali? We got to secure the fort before it gets dark." "Fort?" Gwen arched a brow in question. "The tree house," Sheridan laughed. "It's hers. So Jake HAS to involve her in the plans," Sheridan divulged. "So," Gwen teased. "Where's Luis taking you this weekend?" The smile on Sheridan's face blossomed into a full-fledged grin. "He won't tell me," she shook her head. "And I tried all the tricks I know to make him talk." Gwen rolled her eyes. "Spare me. I'm envious. You two still act like newlyweds half the time." Sheridan blushed accordingly.  
  
"Well." "Well what?" Sheridan ventured. "Who's keeping the kids? With Martin and Pilar gone to visit her brother.Kay and Miguel have their hands full. Theresa's in Boston. You haven't said anything to me about it." "Abby," Sheridan finally laughed. "My, you're nosy," she teased. "ABBY! Abby's keeping the kids! Sheridan. Honey, are you sure that's.that's." "They'll be fine. She's going to stay here. At the house. So she won't have to make so many trips back and forth for Ali and Cristian's stuff, and their routine won't be upset. Chad volunteered to watch Cristian during the day while Ali's at school. Just until Abby gets off work. They're going to sleep in their own beds and everything." "Abby's a nut, Sheridan. A very likable nut, but a nut all the same," Gwen said. Leaning back in the swing and crossing her arms around her chest. "Then think of it this way," Sheridan posed with twinkling blue eyes. "Do you really want to spend 4 whole days with 5 kids?" Gwen did a perfect impression of a deer caught in headlights. "I didn't think so," Sheridan smirked. "Have I told you lately what a good friend you are?" Gwen snorted. Causing Sheridan to fall into a fit of laughter herself. And they were just gone from there.  
  
"When do you leave?" Gwen asked later. After they'd laughed so hard their stomachs ached, and Emily and Ali-out of breath from a rip-roaring session of tag with Jake and Sara-had plopped down on the still green grass in front of them. Taking turns dressing Miss Priss up in the latest fashions. Miss Priss had her very own wardrobe. All thanks to Aunt Theresa. She was currently donning a red beret and a red and gray plaid skirt. "Tomorrow morning." "Look, Sheridan," Emily giggled. "Doesn't she look pretty? Take our picture, Mommy." Gwen picked up the camera beside her on the old wooden swing and focused the lens on the three lovely ladies. Snapping picture after picture. Ali and Emmy's bright smiles lighting up their cute little faces. "Mommy," Ali grinned. "Take our picture with Mommy," she told Gwen. Reaching her arms out for Sheridan. And soon Sheridan had Emmy in her lap and Ali's arms draped around her neck. Identical smiles on mother and daughter's faces and crooked smile on Emmy's face. Miss Priss had to ruin the PERFECT picture, though. Every white hair on the cat's back stood on end. "What about me?" Gwen pretended to pout. "I want my picture taken, too."  
  
Hank and Luis arrived. Arms laden with pizzas. Just in time to make it a family portrait session. Gwen groaned as she realized, with three mischievous clowns in the family and one little angel with a sometimes crooked halo, she'd never achieve the ultimate family picture. But Sheridan assured her with a sly smile.Luis definitely caught their essence on camera. That's all that counted. Jake held bunny ears over Emmy's brown head. Sara's brown eyes were crossed. And Hank chose the exact moment Luis snapped the picture to attack her. Slobbering all over her. Even though it was only in print, she was certain a lip-reader, or for that matter, anyone, could plainly tell the word escaping Emily's lips. The "YUCK" was still ringing in her ears as Luis, Sheridan, Ali, and Cristian posed together. Sheridan nestled in the cradle of Luis's legs. Blue eyes fixed on his face with a loving smile. While Cristian smiled sweetly at the camera at his father's side, and Ali's blond head lay in her mother's lap. Hank grinned at the little family. "Hey Little Buddy," he teased. "Ain't the future Missus pretty as a picture," he cracked. The black scowl Jake shot his way only made Hank laugh harder. "Yeah," he nudged Emmy in the ribs playfully. "The Jakester's got a crush on both of Uncle Luis's girls. Think we should rat him out?" he asked Sara. Sara rolled her brown eyes. "Everybody already knows, Dad," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Can we eat the pizza now? I'm hungry," she whined.  
  
They had a picnic dinner outside under the fading sun. Laughing and joking around. Just enjoying themselves. And when it was over, Gwen hugged Sheridan tight. Promising to have copies of all the pictures made for her, and to check up on Ali and Cristian in the next four days. Like Gwen said.Abby was a bonafide nut. But that didn't mean Sheridan didn't love her. Or trust her. Emmy rode piggyback style on Hank's shoulders all the way to the car, and Jake raced Sara to see who got to sit in the back seat. All by themselves. It was a win-win situation, Gwen told Sheridan with a laugh. Kept the noise level down. Cristian yawned sleepily. Brown eyes drooping as he buried his face in Luis's shoulder. "Bye," Ali called. Waving until the car disappeared out of sight. Then Sheridan grabbed her and threw her over her shoulder with a groan. Both her babies were growing up. So fast. And that thought made her sad. "Mommy!" Ali squealed as Sheridan carried her to bed just like that. Upside down. The house looked funny upside down, she thought with a giggle. "Bedtime for you, Ali-baby," she bounced her on the mattress with a laugh of her own. Brushing Ali's blond hair back from her forehead. "Story first?" Ali ventured hopefully. "Okay," Sheridan smiled. "What do you want to hear tonight?" "Tell me about Josh, Mommy," Ali said softly. "Joshua?" "No, Mommy. Josh." "Josh," Sheridan said in realization. "Sweetie.what made you think about Josh?" Ali shrugged her slim shoulders. "I dunno."  
  
Luis tugged Cristian's dirty socks off his feet and tossed them in the clothes hamper over his shoulder. "Daddy," he mumbled drowsily. "What about my bath?" "Shh," Luis raised a finger to his lips. "Don't tell Mommy, okay?" he made a deal with his little son. "First thing in the morning, Pal." Cristian slipped his arms around Luis's neck and squeezed hard. Luis grinned and squeezed him back. By the time he lay him back against the pillows, he was conked out completely. A smile on his face. He tucked the covers under Cristian's chin. Knowing he'd have them kicked off come morning. And pulled the door shut behind him. Slowly making his way down the hall to Ali's room. A name he hadn't heard in years stopped him in his tracks, and he strained his ears to hear the conversation taking place inside. "Dr. Nick was really sad when Josh died, wasn't he?" Ali said somberly. Luis crept closer to the open door. Peering inside without saying a word. "He WAS really sad, Baby," Sheridan answered her. Tucking her hair back behind her ear. "He loved Josh. I loved him, too. He was very special," she told her. Tears in her eyes. "Will you read Josh's book to me?" Ali whispered. Pulling the well-worn, well-loved copy out of the top drawer of her nightstand. "Just a little tonight, AliCat," Luis stepped inside the room. "It's late, and Mommy has to get her rest for tomorrow." "Luis," Sheridan sighed in exasperation. "Are you going to give me one teeny, tiny hint about where we're going?" "Nope," Luis shook his head. Jumping on the bed and pulling Ali back into his arms. "C'mere, Mommy," he grinned. Opening his arms. "Give me that book. I'm going to read to my girls." "What about Cristian?" Ali asked. "Fast asleep," Luis chuckled. "Do you want me to read to you or what?" "Read," Ali and Sheridan chimed simultaneously. And Luis's opened the pages. Beginning with the very first one. Somewhere around page 7, he looked down to find both his angels in dreamland. One touch of his hand to turn of the lamp, and he joined them. A contented smile on his lips. 


	2. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
"Hey," Luis said softly. Reaching over to squeeze her hand gently. "Why's my beautiful wife so quiet? I thought you were looking forward to this trip." Sheridan turned her blue eyes from the passenger window and smiled at her husband. "Can't you give me just one hint? Just one teeny, tiny hint?" she pleaded. Her blue eyes twinkling. "Sheridan," Luis laughed. Shaking his head before lifting her hand to his lips. Kissing the inside of her wrist. "We've been through this a million times. It wouldn't be a surprise if I gave you a hint. You're too good at solving puzzles." She pretended to be upset, but the pout on her lips only lasted seconds before she smiled again. Laughing. "You're a hard nut to crack, Officer." "Officer, huh?" Luis waggled his eyebrows at her. "It's been a while since I heard that name. The lady forgets.I'm a detective now." And maybe more, he thought to himself. But that'd come later.  
  
"Seriously.why so quiet?" "Promise you won't laugh?" she asked. He grinned reflexively. "Luis," she huffed. "Okay. Sorry," he sobered. "I miss the kids," she sighed. "They're growing up too fast. And I don't want to spend too much time away from them 'cause I'm afraid I'll miss something. And Abby's not the most.sane.person I know." He couldn't help it. He chuckled at that one. But she was laughing right with him. "And I'm.I'm." she paused nervously. "Yeah," he prodded. Turning the wheel. Careful not to miss their turn. This one had to be good judging from the look on her face. "Well," she said awkwardly. "We're.I'm not as young as I used to be, Luis. I feel like I'm." "Sheridan," he interrupted. "I feel like a total frump." "SHERIDAN!" he shouted to get her attention. "Frump? Frump?" he asked incredulously. "YOU could NEVER be a frump. What exactly is a frump?" he asked. Quirking a dark brow at her. "Luis!" she swatted him playfully. "You are NOT a frump. Trust me," he said. Parking the car. And leaning forward to capture her lips in a heated kiss. "Now.would I kiss a frump like that?" he teased as they pulled apart. Gasping for air. "You're awful, Luis," she laughed. "But you love me anyway, don't you?" he grinned. Kissing her once more for good measure. "Is there any question?" she smiled.  
  
"Luis!" she exclaimed. Blue eyes wide. "You stopped the car! Are we here? Oh my god! Luis! It's beautiful!" He laughed at her excitement as she practically leapt out of the car. To familiarize herself with their surroundings. The quaint little Bed and Breakfast had its own charm, he decided. He rather liked having the beach so near. Maybe they'd take a moonlit stroll after they 'settled' in. "You like?" he asked as he gathered their bags out of the back seat. "I love," she smiled brilliantly. Holding her arms out and twirling around giddily. "You wouldn't rather go to the city? Someplace more.exciting?" "Are you kidding? Come on," she said. Tugging him forward and toeing off her shoes. "Sheridan," he protested. "We need to check in first." "We can do that later," she reasoned. "Please," she pouted. "It'll be worth it," she promised. Leaning forward to whisper in his ear. Forget walking on the beach. He was dying to carry her up to their room like a caveman and lock her up for all 4 days! "Coming, Officer?" she crooked her index finger at him.  
  
Okay.so it WAS worth it. The years melted away, and she was like a child again. Shrieking when the icy water surged forward. And her toes sank into the wet sand. Yeah.they had a beach in Harmony. Grace even ran her own Bed and Breakfast. It was the getting away part that made it so special. He loved Ali and Cristian to death. But it'd been so long since they'd had a moment to themselves. A get-away. Just him. Just her. He wanted to give her that. Hell. He wanted to give himself that. The woman at the desk simply smiled and handed them their key. Instructing them how to find the room. He turned the key in the lock, flung the door open, and her blue eyes lit up in appreciation. She gravitated toward the fireplace. "Dinner by firelight?" she suggested. "As long as you're not cooking," he teased as he set their bags down beside the bed. Her mouth dropped open, and she did a pretty good impersonation of a person being offended. But he knew better. "Just for that, Buster." she grumbled. Stripping her clothes off on the way to the bathroom. "Not so fast," he growled. Tearing his tee-shirt from his chest. "You are NOT going to enjoy yourself WITHOUT me," he vowed. Giving chase.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" he shook his head. "That's my job," he grinned as he slipped his arms around her waist and hauled her close. "Luis," she whined. "Look at that tub. It's huge. I want to take a bath. A nice, hot bubble bath. Now." "Okay," he said. Pretending to lose ALL interest. "Take your bath. Correction. Bubble bath. I'll be in the bedroom. I don't know.reading some brochures or something," he said turning to leave. Counting silently. 1...2... For a moment, he heard nothing but the sound of water running. Then."Luis," she huffed. "Get your fine ass in here," she muttered. Yanking him by the arm and kissing him roughly. So they got a little carried away.they jumped apart guiltily after she slammed him against the bathroom door, and a pretty little porcelain angel figurine crashed to the floor. "Oh Luis," she sighed. "We broke it." "Super glue," he shrugged his shoulders. His hands gravitating to the clasp of her bra. "But." "You're killing me here," he groaned. "I'm not Superman." "Really?" Spoken like a true smartass, he thought. Rolling his eyes. "Cause I kinda thought you and Superman were related. I mean, you've saved my life. Over and over and over again.LUIS!" she shrieked when he pushed her backwards. Right into the tub. "You could have at least let me get undressed," she grumbled as she removed the wet undergarments. They made a wet plop on the tile floor a second later. "If I left it up to YOU," he said as he stripped the rest of his clothing off and joined her, "we'd still be talking about super glue." "Super glue?" she asked in bewilderment. "How quickly the lady forgets," he chided. His arms hooking around her waist beneath the bubbles and pulling her closer.  
  
She giggled lightheartedly as she scooped up a handful of bubbles. Smearing them all over his face. Giving him a bubble nose. "Sheridan," he whined. "What?" she asked innocently. "Playing is NOT what I had in mind." "And what did you have in mind?" she asked nonchalantly. "Something more like this?" she asked. Brushing her lips across his jawline teasingly. He groaned when she wrapped her arms around his neck. And the bubbles rippled as she straddled his lap. Pressing herself against him and raking her nails up and down his back lightly. She didn't protest when he kissed her. If the hum in the back of her throat was any indication, he thought, smiling against her parted lips, she rather enjoyed it. "Do you any idea how much I love you, you big tease?" he said semi- jokingly. "Enough to give me anything I want?" she grinned. Blue eyes twinkling. "I probably shouldn't be saying this," he told her. Smoothing her hair back from her face. Tracing her features with his fingertips. "But name it. I'll see what I can do," he said. Bracing himself for what came next. "Maybe you should just whisper it in my ear," he encouraged when she hesitated. Suddenly she looked nervous as hell. She leaned forward. ".what do you think? Luis?" she bit her lip self-consciously. "You hate the idea. Forget I said anything," she mumbled in embarrassment. Ducking her blond head and refusing to look at him. He pulled out the best weapon in his arsenal to get her attention and kissed her deeply, thoroughly, and as if his life depended on it. "I think you have your answer," he grinned as she blinked her blue eyes at him. "Sheridan!" he sputtered after she threw her arms around his neck excitedly and nearly drowned him. "Is that the kind of thanks I get?" "Shut up, Officer," she whispered. And this time she kissed him.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
  
  
Ali's blue eyes widened as Abby set the plate down in front of her. Cristian's mouth fell open. "What's.what's.THAT?" she pointed at the green mound in the center of the plate. "Mashed potatoes, silly," Abby grinned. "It looks like snot," Cristian said. "Cool!" he exclaimed. Shoveling spoonfuls into his mouth. "Cristian!" Ali gasped. "Ali," Abby laughed. Tousling Ali's long blond mane. "It really IS mashed potatoes. Try some. Won't hurt you," she promised with twinkling hazel eyes. "I should know. My big brother used to make them for me all the time." At least the chicken looked like chicken, Ali thought. Taking a tentative bite. Okay.to use one of Jake's favorite words.she hadn't CROAKED over yet. "See?" Abby said. Propping her elbows on the counter in front of them both. "Still alive and kicking." "They're good," Ali said politely. "Wow!" Abby teased. "Such high praise from Princess Ali." "I'm finished," Cristian announced. "High five," Abby held out her hand. "SMOKIN'," she hissed as Cristian obliged and slid from his perch atop the stool. "Can I go watch my video now?" "May I," Abby corrected after a second's hesitation. "Sure thing."  
  
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Luis sighed happily. Laying back against the hastily arranged mound of pillows and holding his arms open for her. The orange flames of firelight danced in Sheridan's blue eyes as she smiled down at him. Her short blond curls in wild disarray. "Whatever happened to using the bed?" she teased. Her fingers curling around his waist as she draped herself across his chest. Tucking her blond head beneath his chin. Luis grinned as he trailed his fingers up and down her naked back. His hand lingering at the curve of her waist. Sheridan hummed contentedly at his gentle caress. Hooking one of her long legs around his. "Do you think it worked?" she murmured sleepily. Listening to the steady beat of his heart with a smile. Luis kissed the crown of her head. "Well." he raised a dark brow. Even though she couldn't see him. "You know what they say." "Luis." she groaned. ".if at first you don't succeed." "Luis, you're." ".try again. And again. And again. Sounds like a fantastic idea to me," he grinned. "You're shameless," she laughed softly. Kissing his tender lips one more time. Before cuddling back into his arms and shutting her eyes. Luis grasped the edge of the tangled sheet beside him. Covering them both. A smile on his lips as he joined his wife in sleep.  
  
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Ali squealed as Cristian chased her around and around the living room. "Abby!" Ali shrieked. "Help me!" Abby smirked and popped another kernel of popcorn in her mouth. "Cristian! Ali!" she cried finally. Holding her head in her hands. "Oh my god! The room's spinning. I'm on the merry-go- round from hell." Ali's sweet mouth gaped as she slowed to a stop. Unfortunately, Cristian couldn't put on the brakes quite as fast. Abby sprung to her feet at Ali's high-pitched wail. Popcorn bowl flying in the air and scattering all over the floor. Cristian shrank away guiltily as Abby rushed to Ali's side. At the first sight of crimson trickling down Ali's lip from her nose, Abby panicked. "Oh $#*%! Oh no! Really gone and done it now, Abby. Damn it, damn it, damn it," she swore as she frantically grabbed the nearest object and held it to Ali's nose. Cringing as she realized her slip up. Where was a bleep machine when you needed one? Still.she couldn't stop herself. "Your ass is so fried," she muttered. Ali's blue eyes grew round. "Not yours, AliCat," Abby quickly amended. "MINE."  
  
Cristian chewed on his bottom lip nervously. Tears of contrition welling up in his brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Ali. I didn't mean to." "Don't cry. Oh! You guys! Don't cry. Great. Just great. Not even 24 hours into the Great Babysitting Adventure, and I've reduced both angelic Lo-Fitz's to tears. Mother of the Year material you'll never be. Hold this, Sweetie," she instructed Ali. Cristian hugged his sister's waist as they waited for Abby's return. Ali winced, and more fat tears spilled down her cheeks when Abby pressed the cold cloth to her nose to stem the blood flow. "I'll do anything. Anything at all. If you promise not to tell.you can stay home from school tomorrow. We'll go to the zoo. I'll get you a puppy." she babbled. "A puppy?" Ali perked up. "Really?" she asked innocently. Blue eyes shining hopefully. "Sh.sure," Abby caught herself just in time. Miss Priss growled behind her. Her blue eyes glittering with what Abby could only describe as.HATRED. Pure and unadulterated hatred. "Any puppy we want?" Cristian asked. Abby groaned as she tucked her hair behind her ear. What the hell had she done? "Bedtime," she suddenly shouted. "Hurry.shoo.go, go," she prodded as she ushered them both down the hall to their separate rooms. "But Abby," Cristian protested. "No bath?" "In the morning.it's." she broke off. Pretending to yawn. "It's getting late," she snapped her fingers. "What are you waiting for?"  
  
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The fire crackled and popped in the fireplace. The shadow of it's flames flickered on the walls. She smiled. Threading her fingers through Luis's black hair and placing a gentle kiss on his brow before carefully removing his protective arm from her waist and scooting out of the bed. The hardwood floor was cold beneath her bare feet, and she hurried across the room to the bathroom. She held her hands under the warm stream of water as she studied her reflection in the mirror. A few laugh lines. A face not as young . A face that had known tragedies along with moments of perfect happiness. Happiness, she thought with a smile. Her blue eyes sparkling as she cupped a protective hand around her belly. If her dream came true.another baby. Another little person to give her heart freely, she thought. Twisting the knobs off and grasping the brass handle to the door. "Sheridan," Luis called from the bed when he swept his arm across the mattress. Finding it empty. "Sheridan," he repeated. Sitting up in the bed. His dark eyes bright with worry. Until he saw her. Her blue eyes caught the shattered remains of the fallen angel, and she absently noted the need to attempt its repair. Tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow, she promised as she sank into the welcome comfort of his embrace. Sighing as they kissed. Shifting. And he wrapped his arms around her from behind.  
  
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Abby sighed as she tucked the blankets under Ali's arms. Tracing a delicate finger across her upper lip and saying a silent thanks that the blood had finally stopped. And it looked like Luis and Sheridan's precious AliCat was going to be okay. Not only would her ass be fried, she thought with a slight smirk. She'd never forgive HERSELF, she realized. Sobering as she studied the little girl's face in the pale yellow glow of nightlight. An angel in her white gown. Face sweet and relaxed in sleep. Fingers curled around her favorite stuffed animal. A gift from Aunt Theresa, Abby guessed. Miss Priss curled at her feet in protection mode. That damn cat was like a watch cat. Forget watch dog, she thought with a chuckle as she pulled the door closed with a softly whispered, "Goodnight, sweet Angel." Miss Priss stretched with a meow. "Goodnight, Pain in the Ass," Abby couldn't resist adding. "Goodnight, Me," she yawned sleepily as she trudged down the hall to the guest room. One day down. Three more to go.  
  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
  
  
She shut the bathroom door carefully behind her. Running her hands through her short blond hair with a sigh. She couldn't understand. With Ali and Cristian.there'd been no problem. She and Luis made up their minds to make a baby, and voila! Well.Ali was actually more of an unexpected surprise. Not of the accident persuasion. But they weren't exactly trying either. She just.happened. And changed their lives for the better, she thought with a slight smile. To be perfectly honest, Cristian's conception wasn't deliberate. A rush of warmth flooded her cheeks as she thought back. Years back. She'd been pregnant without realizing it. Probably even in the very early stages before Ali's wish found a very loud, insistent voice. How embarrassed had she been when Gwen had to spell it all out for her? Now it was different. Over two months into Operation Make a Baby (as Luis jokingly teased) with no success. Nada. She wanted so much to cry. She had a feeling this latest test would turn out as it always did. Negative.  
  
She DID cry when Miss Priss lumbered down the hallway, the newest member of the family nipping at her heels-a clumsy golden retriever pup with four left feet and an as-yet-undetermined name. What was it with her family and their inability to give pets or even children names? "Damn," she swore softly when the puppy yelped after receiving a characteristically vicious slap from Miss Pain in the Ass herself. "Miss Priss," she scolded. "You're going to be a mother soon. What if he were YOUR baby?" she said. Not able to resist the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth when the puppy wiggled excitedly in her arms. Licking every available inch of her face. "Thanks, Abby," she groaned as she wiped puppy slobber off her face with the sleeve of her shirt. "Thanks for everything," she rolled her eyes as she glanced at Miss Priss again before carrying her brand-new buddy down the hall. About time for the usual potty break, she realized as she eyed her wrist watch. Potty break. How appropriate for a household with babies on the brain lately.  
  
She decided the dog would be perfectly fine exploring the back yard for several minutes while she finished gathering laundry for the wash. AND.it'd give her something else to occupy herself with until the buzzer went off, and the test was finished. She twisted the knob on Cristian's bedroom door. Blue eyes twinkling at the sight that met her. On the surface it was picture-perfect. Spotless. But she knew better. Since when was a four-year-old's room spotless? Even a well-behaved four-year- old such as her son? She shook her head with a helpless smile as she knelt on the floor and lifted the edge of Cristian's blue and white comforter up. Peering under the bottom bunk of the bunk beds and hitting paydirt! "I knew it," she laughed as she pulled the dirty clothes out from under the bed. Thinking back to this morning when Cristian had hugged her neck goodbye and averted his big brown eyes from her gaze when she gently asked if he'd cleaned his room. A condition he'd had to meet before he could go with Hank and the girls to a friend's Halloween party. He'd looked so cute in his little Zorro costume she'd let it slide. That and she was too busy wheezing from uncontrollable laughter upon seeing Sara and Emily dressed up as Tweedledee and Tweedledum. "Later, Little Man," she reminded Cristian's likeness on the hall wall.  
  
When she nudged the door to Ali's bedroom open with her shoulder, she smiled. Ali, on the other hand.Her daughter was every bit as neat as she wasn't. Years under Luis's influence, she thought wistfully. Still.years and years after their reunion.she couldn't help the twinge of sadness she felt whenever she thought about those missed years. Those missed milestones. She sank against the mound of pillows at the head of Ali's bed and just lay there. Thinking. Remembering. She jumped. Startled when Miss Priss hopped on the bed and rubbed her head against her upturned palm. Purring up a storm. "Hungry?" Sheridan asked as the cat lavished affection on her. "You crazy cat." she laughed. "Too bad Luis never sees this side of you," she said with something akin to regret. "Then life really would be perfect." No, she thought silently. Perfection would be a plus sign on that silly wand. "You do know, don't you," she grinned at the cat as she scratched the white fur between its ears absently, "that you have some serious sucking up to do to convince Luis to room and board your illegitimate children?" The cat responded to her by rolling over on her back. Begging for her tubby tummy to be scratched. "Why I shouldn't even.you don't deserve it, Missy. Being so mean to the baby." The cat's paws waved in the air, and she meowed sweetly. Sweetly, Sheridan thought. Rolling her blue eyes. "Okay." she sighed in resignation. "But I really have to get back to work, and we both know I'm not the best with housework," she winked as she rubbed the cat's tummy. "And it's my day off," she added as she threw her leg back over the edge of the bed. Spotting a suspicious-looking mound of material partially hidden behind Ali's collection of stuffed animals. "What the." she murmured as she crouched in front of the array of toys and pulled the material out inch by inch. She fingered the crimson blotches along the fringe of Ali's old blankie. What was going on here? She didn't have time to ponder it further when the doorbell rang. At exactly the same instant she remembered the pregnancy test in the bathroom.  
  
"Well.I always knew you ha.were less than pleased to find this ragamuffin curled up at the foot of Cristian's bed when you got home from your 'LOVE WEEKEND'," Abby shook her head. Desperately trying to avoid the puppy's cold, wet nose and happy, frantic licking. "But to leave the poor dear outside to fend for himself in this weather," she shivered. "It's positively inhumane. Wait," she babbled. "He's not human. In that case," she paused. Setting the puppy down at her feet and laughing as he scooted inside. Falling over his own feet as he scampered toward the fireplace in the living room. "Come on, Sheridan.he may be clumsy as hell, but he's pretty damn smart. Look at that," she nodded at the little dog as it curled up in front of the crackling fire. Whatsa matter? Cat got your tongue?" Sheridan burst into a fit of giggles. "Get in here," she said. Pulling on Abby's leather-encased arm. "It's pretty cold out there, and as irritated." "Don't you think that's too kind of a word?" Abby smirked. ".as irritated as Luis IS," Sheridan continued with a gleam in her blue eyes, "with you for not only buying our children's silence with a new puppy and letting our cat get impregnated by God knows who." "Don't you mean what?" Abby scrunched up her nose. "And I think Luis and I know.God has nothing to do with it." Hazel eyes alight with amusement. "Whatever," Sheridan groaned. "Get in," she shuddered at the sudden gust of cold air, "before we turn into popsicles."  
  
"Make yourself at home," Sheridan laughed as Abby plopped down on the couch. The puppy's tail thumped on the floor as she singsonged threatening words in an overly cheery voice with an idiotic grin on her face. "Abby!" Sheridan cried. "What did he ever do to you?" "Nothing," Abby replied. "Just trying something. You know.babies are the same way," Abby grinned. "Really," she insisted. "As long as it's delivered with a smile in a silly voice like this," she demonstrated. Causing Sheridan to laugh anew. "They'll cackle their adorable heads off. On the subject of babies." Abby began. Tawny brows shooting to the top of her forehead when Sheridan raised a hand to her mouth and rushed out of the room. "Ooookkkkaayyy," Abby muttered. Getting up.and doing what else.following her. Straight to the closed bathroom door. "I assume you've already taken the test," Abby ventured. Earning a nod from Sheridan. "And a suitable amount of time has passed," she trailed off. Sheridan's blue eyes found a spot on the floor and stared. "Do you want me to check it?" Abby offered. "I mean.some people might think it's gross, but I.look," she stopped to take a breath. "I can look if you want me to. Check for a plus sign. Or a negative," she added under her breath. "Sheridan," Abby whined plaintively. "I'm literally getting gray here.just this morning I found my first gray hair. And I'm here to tell you.not ALL your firsts are happy and exciting. In fact.come to think of it.Gil Hill was no great shakes.with a name like that I should have suspected SOMETHING." "Abby!" Sheridan groaned. Very loudly. Clamping a hand over Abby's mile a minute mouth. Then very, very slowly removing it. Wrinkling her nose when Abby continued softly. "All I'm saying is 'first this, first that'.it's over-rated," she finished on a sigh. "What are you waiting for? Are you going to be a Mommy again or not? Pins and needles here," she rolled her hazel eyes with an infectious grin. "Go," she encouraged before shoving Sheridan through the now open door. Watching and waiting with bated breath as Sheridan picked up the stick with shaky hands. "So.if you haven't already guessed, I'm NOT a patient person. Spill it, Lo-Fitz Lover.Sheridan," she whined. "What does it say?" "It's a."  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Jake's nose twitched as he adjusted the devil's horns atop his brown head and shifted his candy pail to his right hand. "Hey!" he grumbled as.once again.SOMEBODY stepped on his demon's tail. "Why you keep doing that Ali?" he muttered. Yanking his tail out from under her white satin slipper-clad foot. "Aren't you watching where you're going? Huh, Ali?" he asked. Waving his red hands in front of her face. The gold halo resting on the top of Ali's flowing blond hair jostled as she finally realized he was talking to her and turned her full attention on him. "Something wrong, Ali?" Jake asked quietly. Jake followed Ali's concerned blue gaze back to Sheridan. Ali chewed on her bottom lip nervously as Jake questioned, "Your mom okay, Ali? She looks.sad or something."  
  
"I don't know," Ali's chin quivered just the tiniest bit as she confided in Jake. "Nobody will tell me." "Aww, Ali. Don't cry," Jake pleaded. "Look.if it'll make you feel better.you can have all my candy bars. I'll just steal Emmy's. She won't care." A sweet smile blossomed on Ali's pink lips, and Jake couldn't help the bashful grin that broke out on his own face. "Thank you," Ali whispered. Slipping her hand in his. "Hey!" Jake protested. "We're not like dating or anything. That means NO HOLDING HANDS," he said emphatically. Shaking Ali's hand off. "But if I was into that icky stuff.you'd be one of the girls I'd pick," he hurriedly reassured Ali before her pretty face crumpled with tears again. "Hurry up.we can't let the babies get all the candy," he said. Racing forward and quickly overtaking Cristian and Sara.  
  
"Wonder what that was all about, Babe?" Hank queried at the mini-drama that had just played out right before their very eyes. Emily buried her face in his neck sleepily. "I don't know," Gwen answered. "But how'd you like that glimpse into the future?" Hank grinned. "The Little Buddy could do much worse, right Luis?" "We're the ones getting the raw end of the deal, aren't we?" Luis smiled. Slipping an arm around Sheridan's waist and pulling her close. "Luis!" Gwen scoffed. Luis arched a black brow at her incredulous expression. Luis chuckled when she didn't bother to elaborate. Only winked at him and Sheridan. All four turned their heads when they heard a familiar voice. "Forget something?" They were prepared for a little characteristic Abby wackiness. But NOT.NOT.NOT.Gwen snorted helplessly, and Luis's cheeks burned a bright red. "Nice costume," Sheridan smirked. A slow smile taking over her face. Hank grinned goofily. Raking over Abby's petite form from head to toe. "TINKERBELL.where'd you get your degree, Lady? Clown U or Degrees-R-Us?" "Bennett," Gwen shook her head with an impatient roll of her brown eyes. "Go soft on me, Babe," Hank insisted. "It's been a long day. I'm seriously not feeling my funny bone here." "Funny, Hank," Abby said slyly. With questing hands. "DAMMIT!" Hank yelled as they found their target and squeezed. Causing every trick-or-treater within a 2-mile radius to zone in on the quirky interaction. "I feel it just fine," she teased. Crinkling up her nose as he swatted her hands away from his derriere, and Gwen, Sheridan, and Luis rolled with laughter. "Hands off the ass, Tink. Geez," he shuddered as he scooted ahead of them. "Go ahead and spoil my fun," Abby snickered. "Aren't you missing a couple members of the family?" she asked Luis. "Where's the demon seed?"  
  
"Demon seed here and accounted for," Kay whispered into Abby's ear as she crept up behind her. "Hey!" Abby pretended to be hurt as MJ totally ignored her and all the other adults. Scampering ahead to join the other children. "Where's my kiss?" MJ responded by turning around and blowing a raspberry at her. "I love you, too," Abby waved. "What the hell is he supposed to be? A damn Ewok?" she wondered. "Oops! Did I actually say that out loud?" Kay grinned. "Don't look at me. Mom made their costumes. MJ's reaction was pretty much like yours. Only without the salty language," she laughed. "Oh.and after he figured out it was much warmer than the Ninja costume he really wanted to wear.he didn't care as much." Sheridan held her arms open for Joshua. Kissing his forehead when he nestled against her chest tiredly. "Cute," Gwen smiled as she touched the antennae sprouting from the top of Joshua's head. "A bumblebee."  
  
"So." Kay said softly. Glancing at Sheridan's red-rimmed blue eyes and slightly pink nose. "I take it the test didn't go the way you wanted it." Sheridan met Luis's dark eyes when he glanced back at them. "Shoo," Abby hustled them forward. "Skedaddle. Girl talk," she huffed. Rolling her hazel eyes at them. She made a pinching motion in the air when Hank didn't follow her instructions. Her threat coming across loud and clear. "Okay," Kay giggled. "Did I miss something?" "Nope. Nada. NOTHING!" Abby bounced on the balls of her feet in a desperate attempt to ward off the night's chill. "Sheridan?" Kay asked again. "It was negative," she answered quietly. Tears pooling in the corners of her pained blue eyes. "Again," she sighed. Complete and utter disappointment evident in the sad expression stretched thin across her face. "Well." Gwen said. Slipping a consoling arm around Sheridan's waist on one side. Kay the other. "You know what that means, don't you?" "What?" Sheridan mumbled. "You guys just have to have more S-E-X. Doesn't sound too awful to me. I mean.look at him. It's Luis for God's sake," Gwen winked at Sheridan. Smirking when Hank whirled on his heel and glared at her. "Yeah," Abby put her two cents in. "Have your way with him. Eventually, he'll have no choice but to comply with your demands," she said. Hazel eyes gleaming wickedly when Luis shot "I heard that," over his shoulder. Sheridan burst into grateful laughter. Mood lightened. If only momentarily.  
  
"Toothbrushes? Toothbrushes?" Jake grumbled as he trudged back to the group behind Ali. "What kind of.so boring. Not fun at all." "What do you expect from two dentists?" Hank quizzed his young son. "They're too cheap to get the good stuff, and they're giving out extra toothbrushes," Jake shrugged his shoulders. "You know.the ones they have left over." "They just don't want your teeth to rot," Luis supplied helpfully. "Aww, shucks," Hank scowled. "And Jake here wanted so bad to grow up to be exactly like Jethro, didn't you, Son?" "Huh?" Jake's brown eyes narrowed. "The Clampetts," Abby hooted. "Yeah," Hank teased. "Now I know who you remind me of.Ellie Mae Clampett." "They're not even cool toothbrushes," Sara snarled. Tossing hers into the decorative hedges surrounding the Dentists' dwelling. "Sara Bennett!" Gwen scolded. "Aww, Mom," Sara whined. "At least I." "Hey," MJ huffed. "MJ," Kay warned. "I didn't like their stupid toothbrush," he said. His jaw jutting out stubbornly. "So." "He threw it back at them," Cristian said with wide brown eyes. "I think he really scared the old lady. She looked like the old lady on t.v." "Yeah," Sara chattered excitedly. "She grabbed her heart like this," Sara demonstrated, "and she hollered to the old man." "I've fallen and I can't get up," Hank finished with a smirk sent his daughter's way. "Wow, Dad!" Sara's mouth formed an 'O'. "How'd you guess?" "Ha ha," Hank shook his head as he nudged Sara forward with his free hand. "Daddy," Emily murmured. "I wanna go home. It's cold."  
  
Three or four houses later, ALL the ladies were echoing Emmy's sentiments. Hank most strongly. ; ) Jake and MJ led the way down the trick-or-treater crowded street. Sara shuffled her feet tiredly across the pavement. Clutching Gwen's hand. Ali was wrapped completely around Luis. Arms. Legs. Sparkly gold halo bouncing with each step he took. Angel's wings fluttering in the slight night breeze. Long blond hair spilling over Luis's shoulders. "Yuck," Abby laughed. Running an affectionate hand through Cristian's dark hair as he drooled on Kay's shoulder. "Want to switch?" Sheridan offered. "Are you kidding?" Kay shook her head. "Joshua's in heaven. Why mess that up? Cristian's fine." "The hidden message." Abby paused dramatically. "Hell, yes. You'll get my dry- cleaning bill first thing tomorrow morning," she said. Quirking a brow at Sheridan. Sheridan just laughed. "Can we speed things along here?" Abby squealed. Her teeth chattering from the cold. "Our beloved Tink is literally freezing her ass off. Look," she insisted. Wiggling her behind. "Is that.I think it is.friggin' icicles. Is this the end? I'll never achieve my dream of snagging Peter Pan from Wendy," she sighed woefully.  
  
"Bye!" Gwen, Hank, and Kay waved as they shepherded five very grumpy, sleepy children to the Bennett family vehicle. Miss Priss meowed horrifically from somewhere in the interior of the house, and the puppy barked. Luis grinned in satisfaction. Anytime The Pain got her just desserts. "Lo-Fitz," Abby wagged her finger under his nose. "I saw that look. You never did thank me," she whispered as Sheridan shut the front door behind her and carried Cristian to the sofa to lay him down. "Aha!" Sheridan teased. "Proof that the Detective isn't above a little bribery," she smiled. Kissing him gently on the cheek. "Ready to put them to bed?" "But I don't wanna go to bed yet," Cristian mumbled. Half-asleep. "I wanna stay up. Candy," he said before drifting off. Again. "Poor kid," Abby said. "But I think AliCat's got him beat. Haven't heard a peep of her pretty little mouth for over an hour now," Abby said as she ran a hand over Ali's glossy golden head. "Mommy," Ali sighed in her sleep. Removing her face from the crook of Luis's neck. "What, Swee.oh my.Ali. Baby.What happened?" she asked worriedly as Ali blinked her blue eyes at her. Abby's hazel eyes widened, and panic squeezed Luis's heart in a vice as Sheridan's hand pulled back from Ali's face. Her fingers stained with Ali's blood.  
  
  
  
Chapter 10  
  
  
  
"Mommy," Ali pouted. "I don't want to see the doctor. I want to go to school. It's movie day." Sheridan carefully tucked a loose strand of Ali's long golden hair behind her ear as she answered her disappointed daughter. "I'm sorry, Ali. I really am," she insisted when Ali's face fell, and her blue eyes welled up with indignant tears. "But.but Mommy," Ali attempted to plead her case. One last time. "I can't believe it," Abby said from the doorway. "I really can't believe it. A kid who would actually rather be at school." Granted.this is an icky hospital. But AliCat," Abby sighed. "Abby," Sheridan said. Hugging Abby's neck. Gratitude evident in the timbre of her voice. "So glad you're here." "I HAD to come," Abby's hazel eyes twinkled as she tugged on Ali's socked foot. "Had to make sure you didn't get Dr. Grinchkin," she whispered. "There's this horrible, awful, terrible rumor going around that he." "What?" Ali asked with wide blue eyes when Abby paused. Hazel eyes darting to and from the slightly ajar door. "No, no. It's too terrible to say out loud." "No fair," Ali crossed her arms over her chest. Her chin jutting out stubbornly. Blue eyes blazing now. Abby's nose crinkled up at the amazing likeness between mother and daughter at that precise moment. "Not even a hint?" she asked softly. Leaning forward and hanging on Abby's every word. "Ever read 'Hansel & Gretel'?" All three ladies jumped at the sudden knock on the door, and Sheridan chewed on her lip nervously as a tall, wiry man with beady brown eyes, sparse but curly gray hair, and the dirtiest pair of sneakers she'd ever seen peeking beneath his scrubs appeared before them. How she wished Ali's regular pediatrician weren't out of town on vacation. "Hello," he said in a nasally voice. Extending his hand. "You must be the Mom, and this lovely little lady must be Ali. Am I right?" Ali smiled shyly as he took her little hand in his large one. "And you are.?" he asked. Turning to Abby. "Who wants to know?" Abby grinned. "Dr. Grin." "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"  
  
"I can't believe you." Eve couldn't help but smile as she handed Abby the tiny styrofoam cup. Abby brought the cup to her lips and sipped absently. "Oh my." she shuddered. Spitting the lukewarm liquid across the small waiting area. "How old is that stuff?" she gagged. Marching over to the trash bin in the corner. "Seriously, though," she continued as she walked back. "How was I supposed to know there really was a Dr. Grinchkin working here? I mean.what are the odds? One in a million? Wonder what's taking them so long in there? I haven't said anything to Sheridan yet, Eve. But I'm worried. Really worried." Eve sighed. A grim expression on her face. "You're not the only one. There's something I don't understand." Comprehension dawned on Abby at Eve's quizzical look. "Luis?" She continued at Eve's slight nod. "He's supposed to be here soon. As soon as that slave driver of a boss he has lets him go," Abby said. Grinning at the amused chuckle that left Eve's lips. "I knew you couldn't hold out on me forever," Abby told her with twinkling hazel eyes. "The lady DOES laugh." Eve rolled her eyes at her. "Hey now," Abby warned. "On a more serious note.I need your advice about something. Think you can handle that?"  
  
"Okay, Sweetheart," the soft-spoken young nurse wearing a name badge that identified her simply as Katie smiled. "Are you ready to see the doctor yet? I promise," she winked at her. "This doctor LOVES little girls as pretty as you. But NOT enough to eat." Sheridan smiled in thanks at the young woman as little by little she was able to calm Ali's fears. A fleeting glance at the clock on the far wall told her Luis was almost half an hour late, and she had to push back the sigh of disappointment. Her stomach was a bundle of nerves already. All she could see when she closed her eyes was Ali's blood on her fingers. The stark paleness of her skin last night as Luis held her in his arms. "Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald?" she heard Katie call. The sound hollow and seemingly far away. "Mommy?" a scared little voice questioned. Tugging on her shirt sleeve. Her blue eyes popped open, and she slid a comforting arm around Ali's tiny waist as she looked into intelligent, understanding green eyes. "Nice of you to finally join us, Mommy," the man joked in an attempt to break the ice. "So, Miss Ali." he said. Perching at the edge of the stool in front of the examining table. "Want a lollipop?" he grinned. Producing a cherry sucker from his pocket. Ali's blue eyes sparkled as she looked to Sheridan for permission. "On one condition, 'kay?" Ali waited with bated breath to hear the condition. "You answer ALL my questions first and be really, really brave for me. Deal?" Ali nodded her head slowly. Whispering "Thank you" as her little fingers closed around the candy.  
  
Luis waited impatiently for the elevator to reach the right floor. How many people were they going to pick up anyway? The limit was 2000 lbs, right? Seemed like Hank was thinking the same thing he was. "I don't know about you, Buddy, but I think we already have 1,999 of that 2,000. Well.least we're in the hospital. You know.if something happens," he smirked. "Why don't you whip out that badge and throw your weight around? I think you're entitled. You ARE going to be the future ch." "Hank!" Luis hissed. "I haven't said anything to Sheridan yet. And besides.it's not official. Dammit," Luis muttered under his breath. "I'm already thirty minutes late. I promised." "Cool down, Buddy. She's not going to bite your head off." Off Luis's 'yeah right' look, he quickly amended his earlier statement. "Okay. She MIGHT bite your head off. But it couldn't be helped. Well, we could have taken the stairs. There IS that." "Hank," Luis said in a low voice. "You aren't helping." "Okay, okay. I'll can it." Luis exhaled in relief. A grimace on his face as they stopped at the next floor to let on even more people. Thank God, a few got off. An impossibility for him and Hank since they were pressed up against the back of the elevator. "Finally," he muttered as they made it to the correct floor. "Relax, Luis. She wouldn't kick your ass in the hospital. That would be TOO embarrassing," Hank grinned as Luis took off jogging down the hall.  
  
Abby leaned back on her heels as she read through the announcement once more. She felt so.collegian. Actually, the last time she'd lived with ANYONE had been during college. And to her recollection.it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Of course, she got stuck with the campus's resident psycho. "This time it HAS to be different," she mumbled to herself as she read the advertisement for a 3rd time. Flyers on the lounge bulletin board a la Eve's tentative suggestion. She sighed. Her luck never had been great, but since meeting the Lopez-Fitzgeralds, that had begun to change. "Oh yeah, Abby," she muttered. "You're forgetting.YOU'RE the psycho chic. Who in their right mind would want to live with you?" She rolled her eyes. Standing on tiptoe and reaching for the advertisement. "Damn, damn, damn," she swore. OOOOOOKKKKAAAAAYYY. Exactly what she got for having Dr. O'Brien, the Irish white equivalent of Shaq, post it for her. She stretched her fingers. Wincing as her knuckles popped. "UGH! I'm not even 29 yet!" Good grief, Abby, the pesky voice in her head groaned. You are SO going to Hell. You can't even tell YOURSELF the truth. "For lying about my age?" she huffed. As if ANYONE wants to live with a wacko lady that argues with herself. You SO need your ass kicked. Either that or you need to get laid. "UGH!" she grunted again as she hopped up and down. Desperately trying to grasp the edge of the ad. And achieving success. Only to totally lose her balance and totter unsteadily on her feet. She closed her eyes. Bracing herself for the fall with one last thought.TIMBER!  
  
"You're doing great, Sweetheart," Katie reassured Ali as she collected blood for the tests Dr. Dave ordered. Sheridan had long since forgiven Luis for being late. All that mattered was that he was here. With her. The memory of the faint purple bruises mottling her baby's skin staying with her and not letting go. "Are you sure you're not really a vampire in disguise?" Hank teased Katie as she carefully removed the needle from the inside of Ali's arm. Katie laughed, and Ali smiled weakly. "What kind of band-aid do you want? I have some glow-in-the-dark ones. Some Mickey Mouse. Lots of them. Take your pick, Baby Doll," she said. Gently wiping the remnants of Ali's crystal tears away with her fingertips. "Feeling a little dizzy?" she asked. When Ali didn't answer, she waved Sheridan over. "Need you, Mommy." Luis joined Sheridan at their daughter's side. Stroking Ali's golden hair with his big hands. "I'll go see what's keeping Dr. Dave. Yell if you need me," Katie told them as she swept through the door. "Mommy," Ali whispered. "I don't feel so good." Sheridan hopped up on the examining table with her and opened her arms. "Just close your eyes and hold on to me, Baby. It'll go away in a while. But until it does.hold on to me." Luis looked to Hank helplessly. "Coffee? Soda? I'll be right back. Hey.I'll bring you back some juice, Ali. Might make you feel better," Hank said softly. Heading toward the door. "Thanks, Hank," Luis called as he backed out the door.  
  
Abby peeked up at the tall, handsome man beside beneath the fringe of her lashes. Her hazel eyes quickly darting away as they locked with the most amazing gray eyes. "I feel like I should pay you a reward or something," she finally said as they rounded the corner that lead to Ali's examining room. "I mean.you DID save me from imminent death," she babbled. Not being able to help herself as she felt the shameless FLIRT that resided within her petite body take over. Oh hell! Her eyelashes were batting a mile a minute. He probably thought she had something in her eyes. "So.since we now share an unbreakable bond," she laughed breezily. Or at least attempted breezily. Who was she kidding? She didn't do breezily. When she was really tickled, really happy, she couldn't help herself.she snorted. A fact that had proven to be the fatal flaw in a couple of relationships already. Gray eyes's lips twisted into a half-smile. "You're not mute, are you?" she asked suddenly. Causing him to laugh deeply. "No," he answered. She took in the identification card attached to his lapel. Turned around backwards and giving her NO clue whatsoever about his name. Hmm, she thought. Wearing a white lab coat. "Guess that rules out the possibility of you being a patient," she said. Pointing to his i.d. "You have to be new 'cause I'd sure as hell wouldn't forg.oh my.Sorry," she mumbled behind the hand covering her mouth. Her own hand. "Hey!" she dropped her hand from her mouth as they came to a stop in front of the nurses' desk in the pediatric wing. "What's going on here?" He whirled around to face her with an enigmatic grin. "Do you always ask so many questions?" Abby stared at him. Slack-jawed.  
  
An older doctor with prematurely silver hair walked up to them. Abby's gaze fixated on the lollipops tucked away in his pocket as he shook Gray Eyes's hand. "I'm Dr. Matthews. I called for the consultation on a patient. You're the new replacement, right?" Gray Eyes nodded his head. Crossing his arms around his chest as he studied the man before him. "What can you tell me about the patient?" Gramps glanced at her momentarily before launching into his speech. "Eight years old. Parents brought her in this morning concerned about a nosebleed she suffered last night." Abby's hazel eyes widened. Ali. They were discussing Ali. "Apparently, it wasn't the first. She's been having them for months now. Poor little thing was scared to death and hid it from them. Bruising. Fatigue. There's more. Here's the blood work-up. What do you think?" Dr. Matthews trailed off. Gray Eyes rubbed a weary hand over his face, and there was so much sadness in his eyes.Abby's heart stopped in her chest. Any minute now.her legs were going to give out on her. She was going to be sick. ".it doesn't look good. Where are the parents? They need to be told as soon as possible so." Abby braced herself against the counter of the nurses' desk. Trying to slow the pounding of her heart and her breathing rate. "Tink?" a familiar voice, normally teeming with humor and sarcasm, asked in concern. "Hey Abby," Hank asked. Setting his loot down on the counter and taking her elbow. "You okay? What's wrong? Is it.No. Don't tell me. Ali.do these guys know what's wrong with her? Is it bad, Abby? Abby? Somebody tell me something." Abby blinked back sudden tears, and her vision was blurred as she raised her eyes to Hank's face. "Tell me something, dammit. That's my best friend's daughter in there. You break his heart, you break mine." Dr. Matthews looked at them sympathetically. Hank grabbed Gray Eyes roughly by the shoulder and turned him around. "If you know something.it's you. It's you," he whispered in shock. His hand dropping to his side. An irate voice made them ALL jump, and Hank hung his head as Luis stared at the man in front of him incredulously. "Nick Taylor.what the hell are you doing here?" 


	3. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
  
  
  
  
Her hands shook as she took the cup of coffee from Hank's hands gratefully. Steam rose from the cup. Curling and twisting in the air. But she couldn't feel the warmth. She couldn't feel anything. Couldn't come up with a witty word or two to take everyone's mind off the nightmare that was slowly unfolding. A nightmare none of them had any ability to stop. Hank sighed as he slumped down beside her. Gwen crossed her arms across her middle and resumed pacing the hospital halls. Chad trailing off behind her. "You okay, Tink?" Hank's quiet question cut through the fog in her brain, and she lifted sad hazel eyes to his face. His concerned brown eyes. She didn't know what caused it. And he was just as bewildered as she was. She smiled grimly at the wetness that collected in the corners of his eyes as he said, "You know, don't you? You know what's wrong with her. It's something bad, isn't it? I mean.it has to be. I've never seen you cry."  
  
She reached across the small space separating them and grabbed his hand. Squeezing it gently. Reassuringly. "Call me Tink again, and I'll do more than just SQUEEZE your ass," she threatened. With just a hint of her usual playfulness back in her eyes. Her voice. "We have an understanding?" Hank grinned at her and nodded his head. Abby leaned back in the ugly plastic chair. Attempting to get comfortable. If only that were a possibility.. "Tell me about Nick Taylor," she said softly. Her voice barely above a whisper. After all.Pilar was seated just two seats down from her with Martin by her side. She didn't want them to think she was a big gossip.  
  
Hank raked a hand through his brown hair in a nervous gesture before blurting, "He's in love with her." "What? Who?" Abby asked cluelessly. "Sheridan," Hank muttered. "Or at least he used to be.I'm not sure about now." "I.I don't understand," Abby stammered. "The years we all thought Sheridan was dead," he paused. Searching her eyes for comprehension. "Well.he was the one that took care of her." "I thought she was in a coma for three years." "She was." Hank answered. "Wow," Abby said. Embarrassed at the sudden jealousy that coursed through her veins. And regret. Sheridan wasn't the kind of woman a man just got over. "I might as well enter a nunnery now," she shook her head. Puzzling Hank to no end.  
  
"I'm going to have fantasies about that cute little.and those eyes," she sighed. Ignoring the rolling of Hank's brown eyes. "Anyway," she shook her head again to clear it off the all-too vivid pictures flashing through her half-baked mind. "I guess I can see why Luis would be.annoyed." "Annoyed?" Hank said incredulously. "Bit of an understatement, don't you think?" An unbidden image came of Luis's fists clenching Nick's lab coat.Hank talking sense into him before Dr. Dave called security. "Okay.point taken." "Taylor's lucky Luis didn't tear his head off," Chad interjected. Hank pulled his wife down into his lap, and Abby felt a funny little pull at her heart when Gwen lay her head on his shoulder. "What the hell is taking them so long?" she said to no one in particular. Jumping up from her seat and stalking over to the nurses' desk.  
  
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She didn't want to leave her daughter. Not even for a few minutes. Something in Katie's eyes made her heart clench painfully in her chest, and the sympathetic hand on her shoulder as she told her the doctor and Luis were waiting for her outside.she felt her throat constrict. She could barely breathe as she whispered a goodbye to her sweet Ali. Her blue eyes still red from her earlier tears. Her face still pale. She paused at the door. Taking one last look. "Mommy'll be right back, Baby. It's a promise. Love you." "Love you," Ali smiled back at her. Somehow sensing Sheridan's reluctance to let her out of her sight, she whispered, "I'll be okay, Mommy." "That's right, Mommy," Katie reassured her. "She'll be fine." "Thank you," Sheridan mouthed. Ducking out the door before the sudden tears she felt stinging her eyes were freed and falling down her cheeks. She didn't want to scare Ali. God knew she was scared enough for the both of them. "Luis," she cried. Grasping onto his solid, comforting form and holding on for dear life. Luis wrapped a supporting arm around her waist and pulled her close. But she could feel the tension in the rigidness of his posture. "Luis?" she asked. Looking up and gasping when she noticed for the first time.Nick.  
  
"Jen.Sheridan," Nick hastily corrected himself. A softness in his gray eyes that made her heart lurch. But she pushed down the awkward feeling. Remembering the man standing just a couple feet in front of her had done so much for her in the past. Cared so much. He was an important reason why she was even standing beside Luis again in this hospital in the first place. And the gratitude she felt.it just wouldn't go away. It wasn't something she could ignore, she realized as she stepped forward with a single word, "Nick," and leaned in to hug him. Nick's gray eyes connected with Luis's amber ones, and he hurriedly dropped his arms to his sides. Smiling at her. Allowing himself just a moment to drink her beauty in. Tears clung to her lashes, and he fought the urge to wipe them away as he stared into her blue eyes. Her very confused blue eyes. "Nick," she said softly. Taking a step back. "I don't understand. What are you doing back in the United States? Why are you in Harmony?" Her eyes took in the white lab coat. The doctor's scrubs. She reached an unsteady hand out to the identification card pinned to his lapel and slowly turned it over. "You're working here now?" "Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald.Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Dr. Matthews interrupted. Clearing his throat. "Dr. Taylor is the doctor I called to consult on Ali's case." Sheridan cradled her head in her hands as a growing dread swept through her. Oh no.Nick. Consulting on Ali's case. Nick. Josh. Josh. "Don't.no." "Sheridan?"  
  
"Jenny," Nick rushed to steady her as she wobbled on her feet. The slip unconscious. But the possessiveness in Luis's touch.the thinly veiled anger in his eyes.he backed away. "Mr. and Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Dr. Matthews said solemnly. "Perhaps we should go someplace more private. Someplace you can." "No," Sheridan said tersely. "Just tell me." she bit out as Luis gripped her elbow firmly. "Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald.please. Stay calm." Luis had had enough. "How can she stay calm when you're being so damn evasive? Tell us what's making our little girl sick," he demanded. Tightening his grip on his wife. Nick closed his eyes. Unable, for the moment, to say anything as he remembered the beautiful little girl with smiling blue eyes as she had been those three, four years ago. And the memory shook him as he imagined her life, her vitality fading as Josh's had right before their very eyes. "Sheridan.Luis," he said. Opening his eyes and trying to maintain a professional face. "Ali's blood tests.we need to do more testing, but." "But what?" Luis snapped impatiently while Sheridan seemed to withdraw into herself . Images of an angel--pure and white, delicate--crashing to earth and shattering into a million tiny pieces assaulted her then. Each jagged sliver bearing no resemblance to its former beauty. Images of an angel with long, flowing golden hair, shimmering gold-kissed wings. Crimson stains spreading, seeping through the pristine robes that clad her tiny body until there was no more whiteness. Ali.Josh.Nick. "No," she shook her head violently at the pictures that tainted her mind. "No!" she cried out. Surging forward and pounding her fists against Nick's chest. "Not Ali! Not my baby! Damn you!" the anguished cry tore from her throat as her legs faltered beneath her. "What the hell's going on here?" Luis questioned wildly as he caught her in his arms and clutched her against his chest. Dr. Matthews could only look away in sadness, and his whispered words rang in Luis's ears. ".we're sorry. Your daughter has cancer."  
  
  
  
Chapter 12  
  
  
  
It took several long minutes before his heart resumed its rhythm. But the world was still tilting on its axis. Everything was spinning out of control, and he had to fight to make every breath even. To hold on to that thin thread of calm that was somehow holding him up. Keeping him steady even if his wife was not. Sheridan huddled in a chair down the hall. Tears unending streaming down her cheeks. Sobs making her entire body shudder. His mother was doing her best to calm her. Gwen, Abby, Chad, but the news.  
  
Oh god. His baby had cancer. His baby was so very sick, and he hadn't even known it. Hadn't seen it coming. Until. "It's not too late, Luis," Nick's voice somehow broke through the fog. How did he. "Don't think that. We're going to do everything we can to make sure Ali gets well. To make sure she beats this thing." He looked into the other man's eyes then. And he saw sympathy. Understanding. ".we need to discuss her.Luis. Luis?" "Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald?" Dr. Matthews spoke. "How am we going to tell her?" Nick's mouth set in a grim line, and the older doctor was silent. "How do you tell a child."  
  
"Sheridan.here. Take this," Gwen pleaded. Holding out a small cup of water. "Drink it, Mija," Pilar encouraged. "Maybe it will make you feel better." Sheridan raised red-rimmed, puffy eyes to the woman she considered a mother and tonelessly refused. "Sheridan," Abby spoke gently. "Don't do this. Don't let yourself fall apart like this." Anger glittered in Sheridan's blue eyes as she glared at her friend. "Don't fall apart? Don't fall apart?!?! What exactly would you have me do, Abby? My little girl has cancer. This isn't like scraped knees or a bee-sting. Cancer, Abby. If you."  
  
"Don't even pull that if I were a mother crap," Abby raised her voice. "Mother or not this is hurting me, too, Sheridan. It's hurting all of us that love that little girl in there because we feel so helpless. But you know what? You HAVE to pull yourself together," Abby hissed. Fingers digging into Sheridan's shoulders. "She's going to look straight to you. And you're going to scare her to death. I know it hurts, but you have to make this as.you have to help Ali through this, and being a complete basket- case won't do the trick. Now stop your damn crying." Sheridan's chin jutted out stubbornly as she rose on unsteady feet and shoved Abby's hands out of the way. "Man is she pissed at you," Chad whistled in a low voice. Martin lay a friendly hand on Abby's shoulder and said, "You told her what she needed to hear." "Then why do I feel like the world's biggest bitch?" Abby muttered under her breath.  
  
Sheridan paused outside Ali's room. Using her shirt sleeves to wipe away as much evidence of her tears as she could. Forcing a smile on her face. The door opened quietly, and she was granted a few seconds of studying her young daughter unnoticed. Ali had always been so beautiful. From the very beginning when the nurse placed her tiny, wiggling little body in her arms. That day she fell in love, truly in love, for the second time in her life. Every smile, every giggle, every tear endeared the sweet little life to her more each day until she was afraid her heart would burst with the overwhelming feelings. She listened to Ali's tinkling laughter with a smile on her lips. Katie was telling Ali a story about her little boy. And how he wanted to grow up to marry Ariel. ".he wants to be a merman. What about you, Sweetheart? Who do you want to marry when you grow up?"  
  
The innocent question made Sheridan's throat constrict, but she plastered the smile back on her face and made her presence known. "Don't keep Katie and me in suspense, AliCat," she said teased. "Who's going to be the lucky guy? Do I know him?" Ali's blue eyes twinkled, and her cheeks reddened adorably as she hid her face beneath a golden veil. Giggling wildly. "Mommy!" Sheridan fingered the silky locks lovingly. "I was just complimenting Miss Ali on her gorgeous hair," Katie smiled. Tweaking Ali's foot. "Well, Pumpkin.I got to go check up on another patient. See you later," Katie winked as she walked toward the door. "Katie's nice, Mommy," Ali whispered. Giggling softly as they exchanged Eskimo kisses. "Yeah, she is," Sheridan agreed with a gentle smile. "Daddy!" Ali squealed happily when Luis entered the room. Accompanied by Nick. "Dr. Nick," she smiled sweetly. "So you DO remember me?" Nick grinned. Taking a seat in front of her. "My you've grown up to be such a beautiful young woman." "Thank you," Ali said.  
  
"Ali?" Nick began. "Do you know why you're here? Why **I'm** here?" Ali chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Because I haven't felt so good," she finally answered. Luis's dark eyes kept careful watch of his wife's face. "I didn't mean to be bad," Ali said suddenly. Looking first to Sheridan, then to him with beseeching blue eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell about the blood. I was scared," she whispered. "You're not mad, are you?" she asked in a tiny voice. "We're not mad at you, Baby," Sheridan answered. "Promise?" she pleaded. "Promise," Luis vowed when she slipped one small hand in his. "We're not mad, AliCat. Mommy and I just wish you'd told us sooner that you were sick."  
  
Ali hung her head. Her blond hair falling forward. "Ali," Nick said softly. Reaching a hand forward to tip her chin up. "Nobody's mad at you. Okay?" Ali nodded her head. "I'm going to be your doctor." Ali's golden brows knit in confusion. "Like you were Josh's doctor?" She peeked at her mommy from beneath her lashes. "Mommy," her little voice comforted. "Don't be sad. Josh doesn't hurt anymore. Remember?" "Daddy," she cried. "Daddy, I don't understand." "AliCat, I.," Luis stumbled. "Ali," Nick spoke again. "Josh was very sick. You remember why?" "He had cancer," Ali answered solemnly. Blue eyes wide and innocent. "Do you understand what cancer is?" Ali's chin started to quiver as realization started to dawn on her why Nick was her doctor, why he was talking about Josh, and Luis clutched her little hand tighter at the first sign of tears in her eyes. Tears of fear. "Mommy?" she reached for Sheridan. "Mommy, I don't want Dr. Nick to be my doctor." Nick closed his eyes. "I don't want to be sick. I don't want to be sick like Josh, Mommy. Mommy," Ali wailed in Sheridan's arms. "I'm sorry I didn't tell. I'm sorry." When Nick opened his gray eyes again.they filled with tears.  
  
  
  
Chapter 13  
  
  
  
"Are you sure you're going to be okay with Ethan, Cristian?" Ivy asked for what had to be the thousandth time in the last half-hour. She straightened Cristian's heavy winter coat and made sure the bright red scarf around his neck left no skin vulnerable to the blustery wind's chill. Cristian's big brown eyes glistened at her, but he bravely kept the tears at bay. "Your mommy will feel so much better knowing you're taking care of Ethan," she teased. A twinkle in her blue-green eyes. "She won't have to worry so much." A tiny smile flitted across Cristian's face. Until he remembered WHY he was having to stay with Ethan today. And the tears just wouldn't be stopped as his little face crumpled, and he buried his face in the crook of Ivy's neck. "But I want to be with Ali," he sobbed. "She'll be afraid." Ivy sighed. Heavy-hearted at the child's fears. "Listen, Cristian," Ethan interjected softly. "Ali's going to be fine. She has your mommy and daddy with her, and a whole bunch of other people. Ali'll understand if you aren't at the hospital. She will," Ethan insisted as Cristian's big brown eyes met his blue ones. "If you want," Ethan offered. Looking to his mother to make sure it was okay. "We can go visit Ali this afternoon. We'll even take her a present." "A present?" Ivy smiled. "That sounds wonderful! I know your sister will just LOVE anything you pick out. Then it's all settled then?" "Okay," Cristian mumbled. "Bye, Darling," Ivy breathed. Kissing the child's cool cheek. "Oh! You're so cold! Ethan," she said. Rising to her feet and kissing her own son's cool cheek. "Get this young man inside now and have Beth whip him up the BEST hot chocolate money can buy," she winked. "See you later," she waved.  
  
Beth looked up when the bells at the front tinkled. Announcing her new arrivals. The smile on her face faltered as she watched Cristian's downtrodden little figure trudge to the nearest available table. Poor kid. He was so worried about his big sister, and it showed. Every bit of it showed. She shifted sympathetic brown eyes to Ethan's face when his voice broke through her thoughts. "Two hot chocolates." Two days had passed, and Ali was, probably at this very moment, checking into the Harmony Hospital for her first chemotherapy treatment. The news that the daughter of the man in line to become Harmony's newest police chief and the town's own claim to royalty had cancer had spread like wildfire. Sending shockwaves in its wake. It was just inconceivable. That something so horrible should strike a family that had already been through so much in a time that should have been one of its happiest. Luis was at the pinnacle of his career. He and Sheridan had been deliriously happy. Life had been perfect. Until two days ago. She still couldn't come to terms with it. "Beth?" Ethan waved a hand in front of her face. "Beth? Did you hear me?" "I'm sorry, Ethan. I'll bring it to you, okay?" Ethan nodded gratefully, and she watched him walk over to join Cristian. "Julie," she spoke to the young girl beside her. "Do you think you could manage this place today? There's something very important I have to do." "Sure, Beth. It's so sad about the Lopez-Fitzgeralds' little girl, isn't it? She's such a pretty little thing. Sweet as can be. Always smiling. It just isn't fair. Isn't that her little brother over there?" Beth distantly heard Julie question as she removed her apron and picked up the steaming mugs of hot chocolate.  
  
"Hi, Cristian," Beth said brightly. Setting one of the mugs of hot chocolate in front of him. "Mind if I sit here?" she asked. Indicating the empty seat across from him and beside Ethan. "No," Cristian muttered. Beth looked to Ethan in surprise. Cristian was usually so much more talkative. If Ali were smiling all the time, Cristian's smile was a permanent fixture. Had been since birth. "Cristian?" Beth reached across the table and tugged at his sleeve playfully. "Aren't you going to drink your hot chocolate? I made it extra special for you." Cristian raised the mug to his lips politely. Never one to slight ANYBODY'S feelings. "It's good," he mumbled. "Why don't you take your jacket off and stay awhile," Beth laughed. The kid was carrying an extra twenty pounds of clothing on his back. Come to think of it.he'd almost waddled into the Book Café when he first came in. "That's not necessary," Ethan told her. "As soon as we finish up here, we're going on a very important mission." At her inquisitive look, Ethan answered, "We're going to get a present to take to Ali when we visit this afternoon." "Oh," Beth smiled. "Ali will LOVE that." Cristian smiled at her. The first smile she'd seen yet. "Mind if I come? You're two guys shopping for a girl. Somehow I think you need a little help," she teased. "What do you think Cristian?" Cristian shrugged his tiny shoulders. "Good. I'll just get my jacket, and we'll be on our way," she smiled. Giving Ethan a friendly pat on the arm as she rose from her seat. "She's right, you know," Ethan told his little charge. "We desperately need a woman's opinion."  
  
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Sara scowled as the Hotchkiss estate came into view. "Sara," Gwen sighed. "I thought you said you WANTED to stay with Grandma. You could have stayed with Aunt Grace, but you said no," she reminded the petulant little girl in the back seat. Emily happily hummed under her breath. Aunt Grace, Grandma, it didn't matter. She was just glad Mommy wasn't making them go to the hospital with her like she was Jake. Well.maybe she wasn't MAKING Jake go. She glanced at her older brother. He didn't look like he wanted to go. But he didn't look like he didn't want to go either. "Aunt Grace makes us eat Tomato Soup Cake. It's disg." Sara paused as her young four- year-old mind couldn't remember the word she'd heard her big brother use a million, kagillion times before. "It's YUCKY!" "Grandma doesn't cook," Emily piped up cheerfully. "And Grandpa's FFFFFFUUUUUUUNNNNNNN," she smiled. Giggling at her twin sister. Sara was ALWAYS grumpy about something. Just like Grandma said. "Thank goodness for small blessings," Gwen grimaced at the thought of her mother's horrid culinary skills. Killing the car's engine. "Sara.wipe that awful expression off your face," she said. "Only if you promise we don't have to spend the night," Sara challenged stubbornly. "You don't have to spend the night," Gwen sighed. Opening her door and getting out. "Your dad and I will come pick you up as soon as we leave the hospital." "Okay," Sara huffed as her mom unbuckled Emily and lifted her out of the car. "Bye, Jake," Emily waved as she clutched her doll in one hand, and a fistful of her mother's skirt in the other. Sara unbuckled her own seatbelt and scooted across the seat. Ribbing her big brother in the ribs on the way out. "Bye, Fartface," she snickered evilly. "Sara Bennett!" The mischievous smile on Sara's face instantly disappeared. But not from her mom's vicious (it WAS vicious, she'd tell the whole world if only she could get on Old Bra's show) yank on the arm. Jake didn't say it back! Ali must be REALLY, REALLY sick.  
  
"Jake," Gwen's brown eyes sought out those of her son in the reflection of the rear-view mirror. "You're awfully quiet back there. Anything you want to tell me about?" she quizzed as she maneuvered the car down the streets of Harmony. "Jake.I know you're worried about Ali. You don't have to pretend, okay? There's nothing wrong with being worried. We ALL are," she assured him. Noticing the suspicious sheen of his brown eyes. Jake rubbed his eyes with his fists when he thought she wasn't looking. He curved his face into the seat as he felt the car slowing down. And he threw his arms over his head when the prickly fingers of the wintery wind on his skin told him his mom had opened the back door. Gwen blinked back her own tears as she pried her son's arms from his head. "Jake," she said softly. "It's okay," she whispered. Cupping his face between both of her hands. "It's okay to be scared, and it's even okay for a tough guy like you to cry. Sometimes," she teased as she brushed the tears clinging to his dark lashes away with the pads of her thumbs. "Girls cry," Jake muttered. Averting his embarrassed gaze from his mother's understanding eyes. "And sissies. I'm NOT a sissy." "No, you're not," Gwen told him seriously. "Do you think your dad is a sissy? Do you think Luis is a sissy?" she questioned him. Jake shook his head vigorously. "I thought not," she said. "Even Uncle Sam cried when he found out Ali was sick. Ali's very special to all of us, and we don't want anything bad to happen to her. So finding out she was so sick made us ALL sad. Don't be embarrassed because you care, Jake. Never be embarrassed by that," she told him somberly. Brushing his unruly brown hair back from his forehead to place a kiss there. Smiling tenderly at him when he didn't scowl and wipe it away. "Ready to go see Ali now?" Jake started to nod his head, but stopped when he realized there was something he had to do first. "No. Not yet. Could we do something first?"  
  
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Chad scanned the sea of faces in the terminal for one. One in a million in more ways than one, he thought with a slight smile as he caught sight of her. Dark hair pulled back into a casual ponytail and dark sunglasses covering her eyes. "Yo, Theresa! Over here!" he called. Waving frantically to garner her attention. He knew the instant she saw him. She dropped her bags by her side, and in a matter of seconds, she was in his arms. Clutching him desperately as she buried her face in his chest, and her tears soaked through the material of his shirt. "Oh Chad," she sobbed. "I came as soon as I could. I couldn't just leave at a moment's notice. I had to make sure everything was taken care of. Make arrangements," she explained. The guilt thick in her voice. He pulled back and gently removed the shades from her eyes to find them red-rimmed and puffy. He sighed as he realized she'd probably been beating herself up about it the entire flight. "Sheridan and Luis understand. Ali understands. What counts is you're here now." She attempted a smile at his soothing words but failed miserably. He tucked her under his strong arm as he steered her through the throngs of people to retrieve her bags and make their way outside. She replaced the glasses on her nose and followed him as he led her to his car. "Get in the car and warm up while I put these in the back," he suggested. Kissing her cheek. She sank into the comfort of the passenger seat and secured her safety belt after turning the key in the car's ignition and starting it up. She heaved a shaky sigh as she pulled the wadded newspaper clipping from her purse and read over the words once more. The opening of the car door opposite her startled her, making her jump, and she hastily stuffed the paper back into her purse. A determined if weak smile on her lips as she grabbed his hand and brought it to her lips. "I'm here now."  
  
  
  
Chapter 14  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's a STUPID present. She's going to hate it. I know she is," Jake muttered under his breath as the elevator slowly climbed. Gwen gave her son a gentle smile and affectionate ruffle of the hair. "She's going to LOVE it." "How do you know?" Jake grumbled. "Because I just do." Jake quirked a dark brown at her skeptically. "Are you doubting me? Moms just know these things, okay?" Jake rolled his brown eyes at her. "Besides.I'm a girl. Trust me. She's going to flash you one of those pretty smiles of hers as soon as she opens it." A slow grin started to spread over Jake's face at the thought of Ali's smile. It was.magic. Ali's smile was magic. Gwen forced herself to wear a straight face when Jake glanced up at her out of the corner of his eye to make sure she hadn't been witness to that telling little grin. "What?" he asked. Putting on his best poker face. "She's just Ali," he shrugged his shoulders as the elevator dinged, and the doors opened slowly. "Yeah," Gwen agreed. Brown eyes sparkling. "Just another girl, huh?" "Um.yeah," Jake half-shook, half-nodded his mop of brown curls. "Are you coming or not, Mom?" he groaned. "We have to hurry, I.have to go to the bathroom," he said. Covering his eagerness to see Ali quickly.  
  
"Where do you think you're going so fast, Little Bennett?" Abby teased as she caught Jake about the shoulders just before he could scamper inside Ali's hospital room. Jake scowled at the nickname. "Aww," Abby pinched his cheeks-because she KNEW he HATED when she did that. "Did you like the old one better? Really.if Demon Seed weren't already taken." "Lemme go," Jake grumbled. "Jake. Little Buddy," his dad's voice came from out of nowhere. "Relax. Ali's not going anywhere. Dr. Taylor's just checking her out before he lets any visitors in, and you know Cristian has first dibs." Jake gave Cristian a black look and trudged over to the row of ugly plastic chairs, slumping next to Chad. "Hey Dude," Chad grinned. His eyes traveling to Jake's clasped hands. "What's that you got in your hand? Must be for a pretty special someone." Theresa's dark eyes sparkled at the blush that colored Jake's cheeks pink as he twiddled the object around and around. "Hi Jake," she greeted. Changing the subject to lessen his embarrassment. "I don't see your sisters. Where are Sara and Emily?" "Grandma's BABY-sitting," Jake said. Emphasizing the 'BABY' part. Theresa giggled in surprise. Rebecca? Babysitting? So many things had changed in the time she'd been gone. Unbelievable aside.she couldn't help but feel sad that she had missed so much. She thought back to the piece of paper in her purse and closed her eyes. It was going to change her life. But she was becoming more and more convinced it was what was right. Even if it DID complicate her life.  
  
Ethan looked away in embarrassment when he met Theresa's dark eyes. "Ethan," Cristian whispered. Tucking the huge pink bunny with its floppy ears beneath his arm and framing Ethan's face with both his little hands. "When are they going to let me see AliCat?" "Soon," Beth answered for him. Ethan shot a grateful smile her way as rubbed Cristian's back reassuringly. "Why Cristian!" Ivy exclaimed. Giving the worried child a brilliant smile. "You have exquisite taste! Ali's going to LOVE your present. What's her name?" Cristian pulled the bunny out from under his arm and looked at it's face for a moment of serious contemplation. "Ali gets to name her. Look Aunt Ivy," he directed. Presenting the bunny's tummy to her. "The bunny has ALL our names on it. When Ali hugs it, it's going to make her feel better because she knows we love her." Tears sprang to Ivy's blue-green eyes as her fingers traced the brightly colored threads, including her own name. "What a wonderful, thoughtful little brother you are," she smiled shakily. Nearly crushing him and Ethan in her embrace. Ivy's eyes grew wide as another pair of arms encircled them, and Abby lay her head on her shoulder. Her hazel eyes a bit shiny, but filled with mirth nonetheless as she announced, "I LOVE YOU GUYS!" Cristian giggled at the crazy display and Ethan's obvious discomfort. Ivy carefully removed Abby's arms and patted her shoulder. "Well.I." "What, Aunt Ivy? Don't you love me?" "Of course, Dear." "What's not to love about good ole Tink?" Hank joined in on the fun. Giving Abby a sneaky pinch on the.you know where. "Hands off the ass, Bennett," Abby growled. Ethan tried to cover Cristian's ears, but it was too late. "Not in front of the children, Mija," Pilar scolded. "Puh-leaze," Kay muttered under her breath in passing. "As if that word's a new one on Jake," she finished. Smirking at her little cousin's guilty little grin. "Um.but Mama," Abby mock-pouted. "I was provoked.wait a minute. Oh my God! Mija?!?! Did you guys hear that? I'm part of the family!!! Oh Mama! I love you!" she squealed. Nearly giving Pilar a massive coronary with her zealous hug. "You too, Dad. Or should I call you Papa like Luis? I saw THAT," she hissed when Miguel drew circles around his temple and mouthed 'CRAZY.' Martin just chuckled. "Papa will do."  
  
A throat cleared quietly, and the whole gang fell silent. Focusing every last bit of their attention on the man in the white coat. "I realize now it was ridiculous of me not to expect so many of you," he said. Mentally counting heads as his gray eyes surveyed the waiting room. "Are you going to let us see Ali now?" Jake's voice broke through. "Jake!" Gwen chided. "He's the doctor, not to mention a grown-up." "No need to apologize," Nick smiled. Making the corners of gray eyes crinkle, and Abby nearly swooned right then and there. "Abby," Kay discreetly whispered in the tawny-haired dynamo's ear. "Wipe that little bit of drool off. Right there," she winked. Biting her lip to keep from laughing. This was serious. They were here to visit Ali. Her little niece who had cancer, Kay thought. Sobering immediately. "Look," Nick began again. "I know you're all anxious to see Ali, and you're all going to have your turn. But I don't want too many of you in there at once, and please don't stay long. Ali's had a very tough day, and she's not feeling very well. Not to mention tired. Make it quick. Make it count. Okay. Any questions?" No one said a word, and Nick pointed to Cristian. "She wants to see you first. Are you ready to see your sister?" Cristian nodded his dark head and trustingly took Nick's offered hand. Clutching the bunny in the other. "Now, don't be frightened when you see her. She's a little pale, and." Jake heaved a heavy sigh and plopped back down beside Chad as the door closed behind Cristian and Dr. Nick. What kind of name was THAT? He wanted to go first. He had to SEE Ali to make sure she was really okay.  
  
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"Ali!" Cristian cried as he raced to his sister's bedside. Throwing his arms around her neck. "Oh Ali," he whispered. Wiping his tears away with his tiny fingers. "I was SO scared." "Cristian.be careful," his mommy whispered in his ear. "It's okay, Mommy," Ali reassured her. Her smile wide as Cristian presented the bunny to her proudly. "I brought you a present," he grinned. His brown eyes twinkling at her. "See?" he pointed to the names on bunny's tummy. "That's our names," he said in his childish voice. "You can hug her whenever you get scared or miss us. It'll be like we're hugging you back and saying you we love you." Sheridan wiped at the tears streaming down her cheeks, and Luis's voice was gruff as he spoke. "Wow, AliCat. That's a lot of names there." "I love you, AliCat," Cristian whispered. Leaning down to kiss his sister on the lips like he'd done so many times as a baby. "Do you like my present?" "I LOVE it," Ali smiled at him. "Good," Cristian said to himself. "I knew you'd like it. Nite nite, Ali," he murmured with a final goodbye kiss to her cheek.  
  
As soon as Cristian walked through the door, another person always entered. Ali smiled and thanked Beth when she told her she was looking forward to seeing her at the Book Café soon, and that she could have all the blueberry muffins and hot chocolate she wanted. FREE! Ethan teased her with whispers of "Princess Ali," and jokes that they should spring another kitten on Luis soon. Then Ali remembered Miss Priss and asked if the kittens had made their grand entrance into the world yet. They had NOT, according to Pilar and Martin who promised to take extra-special care of Cristian for her that night since she couldn't be there to promise her little brother there were NO monsters under his bed if he got scared. Ivy promised they'd go riding the next time she visited the Mansion AND have a REAL tea party. Of course, the invitation was extended to Luis and Cristian. Even Jake. But.Ivy pointed out.they wouldn't know how to appreciate the finer points of a good cup of tea and a little old-fashioned (but very tame) gossip. Ali giggled at the thought of Jake wearing a big, floppy hat like the ones her mommy and her used to use in their tea parties. Chad and Daddy had to turn around while Mommy helped her put on the new pj's Aunt Theresa had made. Especially for her. Kay and Miguel thrilled her with the news that Joshua was a candidate for the implants. The details confused her a little bit (a LOT), but she couldn't wait for Joshua to hear her voice. Abby and Hank made her giggle 'til her tummy hurt, and Mommy got scared and wanted to call Dr. Nick, but something Gwen said made her not do it. Everybody came to see her, telling her how much they loved her and giving her presents, and Ali LOVED it all. Even if she did feel a little bad, and they all looked a little afraid. But one thing was missing. One person. "Uncle Hank?" she asked in a soft, weary voice. "Where's Jake?" Hank just grinned and whispered something to her mommy and daddy, and before she knew it.she was all alone in the hospital room. Until he came in."Hi Jake," she beamed as he walked toward her slowly.  
  
Jake shuffled forward. Hands hidden behind his back. FINALLY! They all left. He just couldn't do it with EVERYBODY watching. It was too embarrassing. Too, too embarrassing. "Hi Ali," he mumbled. Stopping beside her bedside. He looked at the IV still in her arm. "Does that.nevermind," he muttered awkwardly. He grinned at the huge pink bunny in her arms. Normally, he'd seize upon the opportunity to tease her about it, but as he read all the names there, he realized it was pretty cool. He just hoped she liked his present. Yeah, he thought. Suddenly remembering the brightly wrapped package in his hands. "Um.I got you a present," he announced. Thrusting the package into her hands. "Thank you," Ali murmured. And Jake grinned to himself when her blue eyes twinkled back at him. Yeah, he thought as she smiled at him again. It WAS magic. Uh oh! What if Dylan knew? That thought made him red with even more embarrassment. His palms were sweaty as he handed the second part of his present to her. Ali breathed in the scent of the yellow rose. "It's so pretty." Jake shot her a pleased smile. "I picked it 'cause it was pretty. And it reminded me of your hair. Pretty. And yellow," he babbled. "Open your other present. I hope you like it. Mom helped me pick it out. And she said you'd like it 'cause you and her are both girls." Ali's blue eyes sparkled as she lifted the tiny heart-shaped silver necklace from the box. "I didn't pick no heart 'cause I love you or anything. You're a girl," he said as if that said it all. "But as far as girls go.you're pretty cool, Ali," he admitted bashfully. "See right here?" he said. Flipping the necklace around. "See what it says?" he asked. Pointing the engraving. "You're my best friend, Ali. Even though I'm mean to you sometimes and like to tease you a lot, you're my best friend in the whole world, and I just wanted you to know that. Mom put a picture of us when we were babies in there, and the other side's empty 'cause that's where the grown-up picture's going go, and.Ali? Do you like the present or not?" Ali's answer. "Eee---YUCK! Did you have to kiss me again?" Jake grumbled. But if the sparkle in his brown eyes was any indication.he liked her answer pretty well.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 15  
  
  
  
Nick sighed as he read Ali's latest charts. The treatments weren't failing, but they're weren't exactly providing the punch he'd hoped for. Nevertheless, he was still optimistic. If he had learned nothing else the last few weeks, he had learned that the little girl resting in the hospital room down the hall was not as delicate as she looked. AliCat seemed fragile on the outside, but her disposition was that of a fighter. The kid had an iron will, he thought with a slight smile. "Katie?" he said. Raising his intense gray gaze to the young woman who'd just returned to the nurses' station. "Ali? Is she." Katie's eyes were filled with sympathy as she spoke. "This last one's made her sicker than usual. But Ali's a sweetheart, Dr. Taylor. She's not complained a bit, but you can just tell.Sheridan's in there worrying herself sick. That little doll puts on a brave face just so she won't worry her mommy anymore than she already does," Katie told him.  
  
"Hi, Dr. Taylor." Nick groaned inwardly as recognition washed over him. How long had he been employed at this hospital? A month maybe. A little more. And Nurse Ellie Jacobs had flirted with him relentlessly the ENTIRE time. "Hello, Ellie," he said. Giving her a polite smile. Ellie positively beamed as she batted her fake eyelashes at him. Katie tried to hide her smile from him in the background, but he saw it, pleading with desperate gray eyes for her to bail him out of this particular situation. He'd already made it clear in not-so-many words that he wasn't interested in any relationships at the moment or the near future. "Still living at 'Grace's Bed and Breakfast'?" Katie piped up. Thinking she was offering him an out. Of some sort. But Ellie's interest was piqued. Even more so than usual. "Oh, Dr. Taylor," she practically salivated all over him, much to his chagrin and Katie's amusement, "I know the PERFECT place for you."  
  
Abby rolled her eyes as she passed the trio by. Ellie Jacobs was a shameless hussy. Throwing herself at Dr. Taylor like that. Why the nerve! She'd much rather have the man falling at HER feet than vice versa. "Knock, knock," she called. Peeking her tawny head through Ali's hospital room door. "Can I come in?" "Abby," Ali corrected with a tiny smile. "It's 'may I'." "Oh pooh," Abby waved her off as she eased the door shut behind her. "Feeling okay today?" she asked. Brushing strands of golden hair from Ali's forehead. "A little sick to your tummy?" Ali's blue eyes darted to her mommy's figure on the other side of the bed, then she slowly nodded her head. "But it's not THAT bad," she stressed. "Good," Abby smiled. Pulling up a chair and seating herself beside Sheridan. "Anything good on tv?" she made small talk as she flipped quickly through all the channels. Ali's tired blue eyes lit up briefly when Abby's channel-surfing turned up a concert special on the newest boy band. "Wow," Abby muttered sarcastically. "Another one. Will my own private hell NEVER end? I HATE boy bands. No offense, Miss AliCat," she hastily apologized. Earning a giggle before Ali snuggled close to her bunny and gave the television her full attention.  
  
"I knew that'd distract her," Abby whispered with a self-satisfied grin. "Whoa, Mom," she whistled. "You're not looking too hot yourself. You okay?" "I'm fine, Abby," Sheridan shook her head at her friend. "Just a little tired. That's all." "Why don't you take yourself a little break? Get some fresh air? I'll keep Ali company. Won't I?" she winked at the tiny girl lying on the bed beside them. "S'okay, Mommy," Ali half-yawned. "Abby'll take care of me." "See?" Abby smiled encouragingly when Sheridan looked to be on the verge of refusing outright. "Aww, Mom." she whined. "You not trust me?" Sheridan smiled a half-smile at her before leaning over to kiss Ali's forehead. "Mommy won't be long, Sweetie. Promise. Love you." "Love you, too, Mommy," Ali sighed sleepily. "Take your time," Abby told her as she walked toward the door. "We'll be okay."  
  
Katie pretended not to notice the way Dr. Taylor's gray eyes followed Sheridan's every move, but it was hard not to when he was so blatant. As he was the moment she emerged from Ali's room, looking tired and worried but still so composed and beautiful she made half the nursing staff green with envy. Ellie's brown eyes narrowed with jealousy, but Dr. Taylor didn't notice. "Katie," he shot her a brief glance. "Check up on Ali again. Make sure she's comfortable." "Sure thing." she trailed off softly. He was already gone. Hurrying to catch up with Sheridan. "What's so special about HER anyway?" Ellie huffed. "That man forgets about everything and anyone around him the minute he sees HER," she spat in annoyance. "One hunk isn't enough for her. She has to have them all." "Ellie," Katie scolded. "You know it isn't like that between them." "Katie," Ellie turned flashing brown eyes at the younger, prettier nurse frowning at her. "Haven't you heard the rumors?" "Don't you know better than to believe everything you hear?" Ellie scowled blackly at Katie's small frame as she walked away. "Bitch," she muttered under her breath.  
  
Sheridan hugged her arms around her waist for warmth as the cold wintery wind sent a chill through her bones. If she didn't know better, she'd think it were going to snow. Ali LOVED snow. Hopefully, she'd be feeling better, and the chemotherapy would work its magic soon, and they'd have a white Christmas. At home. All of them together. It seemed like they practically LIVED at the hospital these days. But if that's what it took to make her baby better, she wouldn't complain. "Please.please make her well." "Jenny," a soft voice interrupted her thoughts. "Nick," she gave him an awkward smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." "It's okay," she told him. Even after all this time, he still slipped and called her Jenny sometimes. "Nick," her voice grew tight with sudden panic. "Is Ali."  
  
"Ali's fine," he assured her as he shrugged his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders. "She's doing great." She breathed a sigh of relief. "But there IS something I want to talk to you about. She's responding to the treatment," he told her truthfully. Just not as well as he'd liked, he neglected to add. "But Sheridan," he said carefully. Her given name passing his lips with difficulty. "I want us to be prepared for ALL possibilities. I want to test you and Luis and Cristian.and other close family members.as possible bone marrow donors." Sheridan bit back the gasp that threatened to escape her frozen lips. "IF," he stressed. "IF it comes to that. Don't worry," he grasped her shoulders firmly. "We're a long way from that point, and we may not even get there at all. Okay?" She took a long, steadying breath and nodded her head. "Good," he smiled. "Can I go get tested now?" she asked quietly. He squeezed her shoulders and dropped his hands. "Of course. I think that's a great idea. Katie's keeping an eye on Ali for us, but I'm sure someone's available," he told her as he led her back inside.  
  
Ellie plastered an insincere smile on her face when Nick approached her with his request, but she heaved an impatient sigh when Nick left her alone with Sheridan. Sheridan ignored the nervous flutter in her stomach and followed the edgy-acting woman to an exam room. Somehow, she got the feeling Ellie didn't like her very much. And she just didn't trust people who had it in for her that were equipped with needles. Doubly unpleasant. Oh well, she thought as she gave the woman a pleasant if nervous smile. This is for Ali. This is all for Ali, she thought as she felt the angry jab of the needle and unexpected tears welled up in her eyes. She could swear that Ellie was smirking at her in satisfaction when she had to blink away the tears. She did NOTHING to make sure the procedure was as comfortable for her as possible. If anything, she made sure it was wholly uncomfortable. The ache was still present as she made her way back to Ali's hospital room.  
  
"Well." Abby teased. "You sure took long enough." "Did she." "Been sleeping like a baby the entire time," Abby reassured her as they watched the gentle rise and fall of Ali's chest. "By the way.Pilar called. Nothing serious," she rushed to make clear. "Congratulations are in order. The Pain in the Ass herself is a brand-new mommy. Cristian sounded so excited. But the mutt didn't. It was barking up a storm. Sheridan.the poor thing needs therapy." An amused smile graced Sheridan's lips. The mutt. Poor pup was STILL nameless. They needed to work on that. Soon. "That's about it. They sent their love, and Pilar's bringing Cristian down first thing tomorrow during visiting hours. I promised Cristian you'd call him to tell him goodnight later."  
  
"Thank you, Abby. For everything," Sheridan smiled. Hugging the smaller woman. "Now get out of here. I know you have other things to do." "I do need to check my messages," Abby said thoughtfully. "At this point, I'm willing to take anybody. I LOVE the apartment, but rent's a bitch." "Bye, Abby," Sheridan laughed. "Ciao," Abby grinned as she flitted out the door. And nearly run smack-dab into one very tall, very handsome Dr. Nick Taylor. Be still my heart, she thought with a wicked gleam in her hazel eyes as they roamed up and down his length. "Sorry. My fault," she blabbered like a fool. "I meant to do that.I mean.what I meant to say.it was an accident. I'm not in the habit of mowing down sexy doctors daily," she said. Clamping her hand over her mouth almost instantly the moment she realized exactly what she had said. Nick chuckled at the comical widening of her hazel eyes. "No harm done." "Sorry. Permanent sufferer of foot in mouth disease," she choked out before making herself scarce. He was still shaking his head at her long after she'd disappeared. "That is one strange woman." One strange woman indeed. 


	4. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
  
  
"I'm NOT eating those Dad," Sara shoved the plate of green beans away with a nasty scowl on her lips. "Come on, Sar," Hank cajoled his daughter. "I'll give you a buck," he winked as soon as he saw his wife was occupied elsewhere. Jake had a project due in history class tomorrow, and in typical Bennett (ahem.Hank Bennett) fashion, he'd waited until the night before to even start it. Dinosaurs and Indians didn't exactly go hand in hand, but hey. That was what the art of improvisation was all about. "Five bucks," Sara demanded, thrusting a greedy little hand forward. "Who's the Boss here, Sar?" he arched a brow at her. "Mommy," Emily answered cheerfully as she dutifully ate everything that was on her plate. "Daddy, can I have five dollars too?" she asked him with twinkling brown eyes. "I ate my yucky stuff."  
  
"Not eating them," Sara shrilled as he pushed the plate back toward her. "Are too," he told her. "Are not," Sara crossed her arms against her chest in protest. "Please. For dear old Dad," he pleaded. Pulling out his best puppy dog face. Sara was unimpressed, but Emily giggled. "Aww, Daddy." "Five dollars or else," Sara bargained. "Kids are definitely NOT cheap," Hank grumbled under his breath as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. "How do I know you're not going to take the money and run?" he questioned his grinning little daughters. "Yeah right, Dad," Sara rolled her brown eyes at him as she snatched the crisp five dollar bill from his outstretched hand and proceeded to do just that. "Sara Bennett! Did you see that, Babe? I was conned. Conned by my own daughter." "Serves you right," Gwen smirked at him across the room. "Thank you, Daddy," Emily smiled as her little fingers wrapped around her money. "Mommy, can I buy Ali a pretty present with my money?"  
  
"Five dollars won't get you." Jake began only to be cut off by his mother's hand clamping over his mouth. "Sure can," she said as she walked across the room. "Jake.keep working on your project," she shot over her shoulder, laughing at her son's audible groan. "So Bennett," she teased as she leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. "Do you think you can handle giving the girls their bath while Jake and I finish up in here, or is THAT too challenging?" "I think I can handle it," he grinned as he tangled his fingers in her messy blond hair and pulled her close for another kiss. "Hank," she grabbed him by the hand before he could leave. "Yeah, Babe?" "I think you better leave the wallet with me if you don't want to be forced to file bankruptcy." "Good thinking," he grinned appreciatively at her as he handed it over. "Love you, Babe." "Love you," she waved as he disappeared down the hall. "Parents are so gross," Jake muttered as he pretended to be fascinated with his unfolding masterpiece. "So.where were we?" Gwen asked. Giving her son's hair an affectionate ruffle. "Mom!"  
  
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She shut her laptop off with a sigh. "Everything all right on the homefront?" she heard a familiar voice ask, and she smiled as a steaming mug of hot chocolate appeared right under her nose. "Thought you could use this," Chad grinned down at her as she took the mug from his hands carefully. "So.how is it?" he asked after he'd settled down beside her on the sofa. "Wonderful. Thank you. Hot chocolate always." "That's cool," Chad's dark eyes were sparkling at her. "But that wasn't what I meant. How are things going? Business-wise? I mean, they got to be missing you. Wanting you back." She cupped her hands around the warmth of the mug, avoiding his eyes. "I'm not going back." She chanced a glance in his direction to see what kind of impact her words had made, but. "Sure, you're not going back yet. You want to stick around for Ali, but Theresa.I think we have it covered. Ali has NO shortage of people looking out for her. She'd understand that you have to get back to your job. I mean, it's your dream. Right? It's always hard to let you go after visits, but she's done it before." "Chad," she lay a hand on his arm to stop his dialogue. "I'm not going back to Boston. Or New York. I quit." Chad stared at her for a moment. Open-mouthed. "You quit? No way. You can't." "I can, and I did," Theresa cut him off rather calmly.  
  
"Whoa," Chad shook his head. "This is big. Wait a minute. Did you." Anticipating his turn of thoughts, Theresa nodded her head slowly. "But this must be hard on you." "Not as hard as I thought," she smiled at him as she took his hand in hers. "It's still mine, and this way I have time to do more sketches. But I leave all the other stuff to other, entirely capable people. I think it's better this way. I need my family, and they need me. Not only do I have more time to spend with my adorable niece and nephews, I have time to spend with other people too. People I care a lot about," she admitted with shining dark eyes. "People you care a lot about, huh?" Chad teased as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Do I know these people?"  
  
"You might know one of them. He's a really great listener, and he's always been supportive of me no matter how silly or stupid I've acted in the past.and he likes me for who I am. Warts and all." "Warts and all," Chad repeated with a slight smile. "He's one of my best friends and maybe something more, but the whole long-distance thing has kept us from getting too serious, and I was thinking." "You were thinking?" Chad prodded as she trailed off and studied their clasped hands. "I was thinking." her voice died down to a whisper as his face inched closer to hers, and she felt the tickle of his breath on her skin moments before she melted into his sweet kiss. "Good thoughts," Chad pulled back with a grin. Her answering smile was replaced by a pensive expression as she whispered, "Let's not mess this one up." He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "All we can do is give it our best shot," he sighed against her temple. "Whatever happens, happens?" Theresa murmured. "Something like that."  
  
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Martin smiled as he watched his young grandson nodding off, phone to his ear. The faint sound of Sheridan's voice, singing him lullabies, could be heard on the other end of the line. This was a little ritual of theirs. Ever since Ali's hospitalization. And tonight, Cristian had had so much to tell his mother. So much to say he'd worn himself out. He scooped the child up in his arms while his wife gently pried the receiver from Cristian's hold, and he paused to let her brush a goodnight kiss across his forehead. He returned a few short moments later to catch the tail-end of the conversation and see a myriad of emotions flicker across his wife's lovely face in the firelight. Goodnights were spoken softly, and the phone was hung up with a heavy hand. "Luis?" he questioned as she settled her soft weight beside him. "He won't leave them there alone," she sighed as he stroked her long hair with gentle movements. "He loves them so, Martin. He already had to live his life without Sheridan, and he barely survived. What would he do without Ali? What would we all do?" "Shh," he hushed her. As hard as it would be.how do you move on AFTER Ali.Martin had no doubt his son would move on. They all would move on. But it wouldn't come to that. They wouldn't let it come to that. "No use worrying yourself over something that's not going to happen." If she had anymore doubts, she didn't voice them, and he closed his eyes against the very possibility when he felt her body relax fully against him. The fire crackled and popped in the fireplace, and shadows danced across the room. While two people endured a restless sleep.  
  
  
  
Chapter 17  
  
  
  
  
  
Abby's hazel eyes sparkled as she spied on Sheridan, both her children cuddled close in the hospital bed. Ali's long golden hair fanned out across the pillow, and Sheridan drew absent fingers through its silk while Cristian rest his dark head against her opposite shoulder. Cristian whispered something in Sheridan's ear, causing her to smile. Sheridan pressed her lips against the crown of Ali's head, and Ali snuggled closer, reaching out for her little brother's hand and holding on. "Damn," she muttered as she felt the tears coming. "Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn," she stomped her foot. "This isn't fair." She hated getting all weepy over things. In fact, she wasn't one to cry. But Ali's illness was changing that. Monumental or seemingly inconsequential, the changes were happening whether she or anybody else liked them. "Life's not supposed to be fair," a voice behind her made her jump. "That's what makes the good things so special." She fought the urge to cover her mascara-streaked face with her hands and mumble unintelligibly. "Maybe you missed your life's calling," she wiped at her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. "Hallmark needs someone like you."  
  
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and she could pinch herself when she felt herself blushing under his gray gaze. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice that she was rapidly turning a lovely tomato red right before those beautiful eyes of his. She gulped nervously when he leaned forward to peer over her shoulder into Ali's room. ALLY MCBEAL MOMENT! She was dying to run her tongue along the underside of his chiseled jaw, actually salivating at the thought. Until the rumble of his voice near her ear made her stomach do a funny flip-flop. "Back off!" she barked without further thought. "I'm sorry," her apology immediately flew from her lips. "So sorry. It's just.I haven't been in such close proximity to a man in SO long. Years. Patients don't count because I don't want to.shit. Just.just ignore me. Okay? Heeeeellllo. Abby Stone. Slightly psychotic physical therapist who hasn't gotten PHYSICAL since God knows when.Too much information. Too much information!" she slapped her hand to her mouth. Her hazel eyes wide. Nick's gray eyes twinkled with amusement. She was getting stranger by the second. But oddly enough.he found that she was growing on him. "Don't let me stop you," he smiled down at her.  
  
"Dr. Taylor?" Abby could kiss Katie! She really could. The girl was her savior. Her savior! From certain disaster. "Katie," Nick turned to the young nurse with a smile. "How can I help you?" Katie gave Abby a friendly smile before speaking, and Abby took that as her cue to make tracks. She caught sight of Eve at the nurses' station just down the hall and decided to go say hi. Besides.from that vantage point, she could still see EVERYTHING that transpired between Dr. Nick Taylor and his favorite little nurse. Jealous much, Abby, the crazy voice inside her head mocked her. "Oh, shut the hell up!" she swore in irritation. A little boy traipsing lazily behind his parents raised startled blue eyes to her face and rocketed down the hall a second later. "Abby," Eve laughed when Abby came to a stop in front of her. "What did you say to him?" "That Barney was subbing for the Tooth Fairy. Nothing, Eve," she scrunched up her nose. "You know my tendency to talk to myself.it was totally accidental. I assure you." "Okay," Eve shook her head at her. "I was thinking about visiting Ali. How is she today?" "Good," Abby smiled. Tucking a stray tawny strand behind her ear. "Cristian's in there. Miss Priss's a mother now," she announced suddenly with a ridiculous grin. "Five mean little boogers. Just like dear old Mom." "Abby," Eve laughed again. Abby's thought process never ceased to amaze her. The way it jumped from one thing to another. "I've been meaning to ask you.have you had any luck finding a roommate?" "No," Abby sighed. "I think I'm scaring them off," she told her in a low whisper.  
  
Nick slammed the telephone down in disgust and rubbed his forehead tiredly. Living at Grace's Bed and Breakfast indefinitely was NOT an option. Grace Bennett was as nice as could possibly be. Maybe a bit TOO nice. His wallet was taking a serious beating from the constant trips to the few fast- food establishments Harmony boasted. He just could not stomach the woman's far-fetched recipes. "I take it you're still not having any luck apartment- hunting," Katie commiserated. "None," Nick revealed with a sigh. "Well." Katie began. Glancing at Abby down the hall with a slight smirk on her lips. "I might know of something. I tell you what. Give me a little bit more time, and I'll get back to you. Okay?" Nick smiled at her. "At this point, I'm willing to try anything." Anything, Katie wondered as she swept past him. The grin on her lips stretching ear to ear. Sure Abby was an oddball. One of the most lovable oddballs around. An acquired taste. Granted. But Katie couldn't help but think Abby's off-the-wall nature was just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Nick Taylor, of course. He just didn't know it yet, she thought as a girlish giggle escaped her lips. She scribbled Abby's home phone number down on her pink post-it note and stuffed it into her pocket. She'd conveniently forgot to ask Dr. Taylor if he had an aversion to SHARING. Oh well.soon she'd see just how desperate the man really was. "What are you so chipper about?" Ellie grumbled as she strutted past. "Always got a damn smile on your face. Oh.I forgot. You're his favorite. Everybody LOVES Katie," she snarled as she slammed the charts in her hands on the counter. "Did the results come back yet?" she asked. Reaching over Ellie's shoulder to peruse the page. "What results?" Ellie smacked on her gum. "Hey! Where you going with my charts? Fine. Keep them," she muttered. She didn't want to bother with them anyway. She raised her heavily made-up eyes to the clock on the opposite wall. When, oh when, would this day from hell end?  
  
"Bye, Mr. Cristian," Abby waved as Eve led him away by the hand. "Where." Katie asked in confusion. "Gwen called on her cell. She's outside to pick Cristian up. Sara's screaming at the top of her lungs, refusing to get out of the car. Apparently she's afraid Gwen's trying to trick her. Or something like that. Have you ever been witness to one of Sara Bennett's infamous hissy fits?" Abby snickered. "They are NOT pretty. That little tyke has ALWAYS had a good set of lungs on her," Abby broke out into a wide grin. "Katie? Are those THE results?" she inquired. Craning her neck to catch a peek. "Abby," Katie wagged a finger at her. "I know you're a family friend, but I shouldn't share this information with you without consent." "Okay," Abby's shoulders slumped as she sighed in resignation. The elevator dinged behind her, and Abby turned to see Luis striding down the hall. "Luis," she smiled. "You're just in time. Katie has the results back." Luis's dark eyes shone with hope. "Was there a match?" Katie clutched the charts to her bosom. "I haven't looked over them yet. I'm waiting for Dr. Taylor." "Oh," Luis released a shaky breath. "I'm just going to go in, and." Katie ignored Abby's curious look after Luis joined his wife and daughter inside Ali's hospital room. "I'm not telling." "I didn't ask you to," Abby quirked a tawny brow at her. "Sure," Katie smirked. The smirk on her lips transformed into a toothy smile as she glanced inside. "Her little face lights up like a Christmas tree when she sees her daddy." "Wouldn't yours?" Abby teased slyly. Katie laughed as she shook her head at her. "I guess so." The two women made small talk while they waited. The man they were waiting for showed up minutes later.  
  
Nick took the charts from Katie's hands and gently knocked on Ali's door. "Ali," he asked with a smile. "Do you mind if I steal your mommy and daddy a moment?" "I don't mind," Ali smiled sweetly. "Abby," Sheridan looked to her friend. "So.AliCat," Abby clapped her hands excitedly as she entered the room. "Just you and me. Can you deal?" Ali giggled as Abby's fingers danced over her tummy. "Tell me about Miss Priss's kittens," Abby propped her chin in her hand as she scooted her chair closer to Ali's side. "How many?" "Five," Ali held up five fingers proudly. "What do they look like? Do we have any idea who the father is yet?" she whispered. "Cristian said one was black and had three white feet just like Mr. Smelly." "Oh my goodness!" Abby exclaimed. "Miss Priss and Mr. Smelly. What a couple!" Ali's blue eyes sparkled at Abby's silly display. "Has Mr. Smelly visited his children yet?" Abby asked with twinkling hazel eyes. "I don't think so," Ali shook her golden head. "Cristian didn't say." "Pfft. AliCat.that little brother of yours has to do better than THAT. He's supposed to tell you ALL the juicy stuff, and he forgets half of it." "It's not his fault," Ali told her seriously. "He's little." "Yeah. I guess we can make allowances then," Abby agreed with a smile. Touched by Ali's obvious adoration for her little brother. "Abby," Ali twined her little fingers in Abby's when she caught her glancing toward the door. "You don't have to pretend to be happy when you're not." "Wow," Abby breathed. Giving Ali's hand a gentle squeeze. "That's awful nice of you, Ali. But I hate to disappoint you. I'm not pretending. I AM happy. How can I not be when I'm visiting you? You know you're my favorite little girl, right?" Ali pretty pink lips curved upward at her declaration.  
  
Nick's gray eyes scanned the charts as he spoke to Sheridan and Luis. "I don't want you to be too disappointed if the results are not what you're hoping for. Remember.we just want to be prepared for any instance. Ali's responding well to treatment. At this point, a transplant, if it's even in the plans, is a long way off." Katie's eyes were trained to Nick's handsome face. She didn't think she could bear to watch Sheridan's or Luis's face fall if it were bad news. Sheridan held onto Luis's hand like a lifeline. "I'm sorry, Luis," Nick met Luis's dark eyes. "You're not a compatible match." Sheridan nestled against her husband's side as the disappointment set in. She knew him well enough to know he was taking this personally. In some way, Luis was feeling as if he'd failed Ali. "Luis." her blue eyes searched his face as she raised a hand to cup his stubble- roughened cheek. "It's okay. It is. Siblings are more likely to be compatible anyway. Right Nick?" Nick nodded his head. "See?" she whispered as she tucked her head beneath Luis's chin. "What about Cristian? Is he." Nick smiled slightly as he spoke. "Cristian and Ali are a match. Not 100%, but still." Sheridan sagged against Luis in relief. The look on Nick's face, though, as he read her chart. "I'm not a match, right? That's okay because Cristian is." "Taylor," Luis's voice sounded panicked to her ears as he prodded Nick for answers. "Nick," her voice faltered. "Is something wrong? Did you find something abnormal in my blood work-up?" Nick raised pained gray eyes to her face, and Sheridan felt Luis tense beside her. "Nick? Katie?" Sheridan looked to the young nurse for help. "Somebody tell me what's going on here." Katie took the charts easily from Nick's numb fingers. "Katie?" Luis exhaled sharply in relief at Katie's easy smile, and his heart resumed beating again. "Katie, what does it say?" "It says here." she began. Only to be cut off by Nick. And she couldn't breathe or even think at the next words that left his mouth.  
  
"You're pregnant."  
  
  
  
Chapter 18  
  
  
  
"I'm.I'm what?" Sheridan grabbed the chart from Katie's grip. "I don't understand. Luis and I.," she trailed off. Slightly embarrassed about the information she had been about to reveal. "I took the test," she raised confused blue eyes to Nick's face. Nick averted his eyes from hers and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It came back negative. There has to be some mistake," she whispered hoarsely. Luis's hand dropped from the small of her back. Did she NOT want this baby? She sounded.she didn't seem happy at all, and that knowledge greatly confused him. And made him more than a little upset. The timing could have been a helluva lot better, but this was a baby. Their baby. Conceived in love. And he had no doubt it would be loved no matter what. Or did he? "Sheridan.are you saying."  
  
"No! Of course, not," she refuted. "I want another baby. This baby. Our baby. But I don't want the disappointment if this is some sort of mistake. Luis," she whispered. Caressing his strong jaw with the back of her knuckles. "I can't handle the disappointment." The hard line of his jaw immediately softened when he realized her double meaning. Ali being sick. Having the dream of another child yanked out from under her. "I want to be happy about this, but first I have to be sure. Nick," she said levelly, "could you run another test?" Nick pushed his own feelings aside, smiling easily at her as he answered, "If that's what you want. Katie? Can you cover it?" "Sure," Katie gave Sheridan a friendly smile. "Come with me." Nick's gray eyes were turning green with envy, Katie thought as Sheridan gave Luis a brief kiss before parting.  
  
The two men stared at each other in silence for a few moments after Katie and Sheridan's departure. Sizing each other up. Nick not able to crush his feelings of disappointment over this newest revelation. His head KNEW his Jenny wasn't his Jenny at all, but Luis's Sheridan, and that that was all she'd ever be. But his heart couldn't resign itself to the truth. The addition of another baby to their already perfect family should have put any romantic notions he'd foolishly hung on to about Sheridan returning his feelings, but it only made him ache for what wasn't his more. Luis wasn't blind to Nick's feelings. He'd never been. But he trusted his wife. It was simple as that, and despite the discomfort he sometimes felt around the man before him, he was confident he would never be a threat to his family. And.because of his feelings for Sheridan.he'd give 110% to get Ali better. "I'm going back inside to see my daughter," Luis finally said. Nick nodded and walked in the opposite direction.  
  
"How's my AliCat doing?" Luis grinned, pressing his lips to his daughter's forehead. "Okay, Daddy," Ali answered. "Where's Mommy?" "Oh.she's around," Luis teased. Loving the way Ali's blue eyes lit up as she giggled. "Daddy," she smiled. "Okay," he pretended to pout. Which only made her giggle more. And made Abby snort. "Ahem.Did you guys hear something? Maybe it was just the wind," she insisted with twinkling hazel eyes. "Well," she announced as she stood from her bedside vigil. "I'd love to stay and catch up on all the gossip, courtesy of the wonderful men of the Harmony P.D., but I'm thinking I'm going to strut around nude in downtown Harmony with a sign that says 'NEEDED. ROOMMATE. DESPERATE. PLEASE HELP. CALL 1-800-FAB-ABBY.' What do you think? Will it work?" Ali's blue eyes were wide as saucers, and Luis's lips were twitching. "Oh, I definitely think you'd get results," he told her with an amused shake of his head. "Miss me while I'm gone?" she teased as she waltzed out the door. "Not one bit," Luis spoke with a straight face. But his brown eyes were most definitely laughing.  
  
Father and daughter passed a quiet half hour curled in each other's arms. Luis closed his eyes as he held Ali's fragile little body close to his heart and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. The sweet scent that'd always been Ali. God how he loved her. AliCat was his brightest little star, and his heart lodged in his throat to think of her fading. "Daddy?" Luis felt the flutter of Ali's breath against his neck. "Hmm?" "Do angels remember their families up in Heaven?" Luis's voice was thick with emotion as he answered her. "Sure. Nana Katherine remembers Mommy, and she's up there right now, watching over all of us," he whispered against her temple as he slid his fingers through her silky golden hair. "I wouldn't want to forget you or Mommy or Cristian. Ever," she murmured. Yawning sleepily against his chest, and snuggling deeper into his arms. The flashing images of the muted television played across his face as Ali slept. And he cried silent tears. Even after he felt the strength of Sheridan's love and hope enveloping them both.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 19  
  
  
  
Nick sighed as he raised his fist to the door. How had he let Katie talk him into this? The pretty young nurse had offered him the pink post-it note with a smile. A smile that said she knew something he didn't. But he was too tired and too down-trodden to ply her for answers. The confirmation of Sheridan's pregnancy had hit him harder than he dared admit, and he desperately needed to do something, ANYTHING, to keep himself from brooding over a pipe dream. Besides.another night spent in the bed and breakfast was the last thing he needed. The blaring of a stereo inside had him second- guessing following his earlier impulse to drop by unannounced. He dropped his hand to his side. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. At all.  
  
Abby's forehead wrinkled in concentration as she stood on tiptoe, stretching her arm out to reach the top cupboard shelf. This had to be some sort of practical joke. Why the hell did she have food up there? She couldn't even reach it without a foot stool for God's sake. She grunted as she pulled herself onto the kitchen counter. AHA! Success, she thought with a wicked gleam in her hazel eyes. Oh damn was her second thought as the bags and bags of cookies, candy, and other sweet concoctions rained down with one tug of her hand. Her emergency stash! She was already going without sex. She sure as hell wasn't going to forsake chocolate. She groaned as M&M's scattered and rolled around on the floor.  
  
"Later," she mumbled as she grabbed a box of rotini noodles from the same cabinet. Pasta. Pasta was easy, quick, and it didn't make her feel lonely when she ended up with enough for 10 people. "You live ALONE. Remember?" she muttered to herself as she added sauce to a pan and adjusted the temperature. "Dammit," she cursed when she bumped her head against the top of the refridgerator door getting a bottle of wine. "My appliances have it in for me," she shook her head as the sauce started bubbling over the pan and onto the stovetop. AND all over her favorite sweatshirt. A relic from college and her days before becoming a nun. Without a second thought, she yanked the sweatshirt over her head and tossed it toward her open bedroom door. "Look on the bright side, Abby," she smiled to herself. "You can't walk around in your underwear anymore if you actually ever get any takers," she said as she decided to forego dinner at the moment. A shower suddenly seemed like the better idea.  
  
Nick paced back and forth outside in the hall. Still unable to make a decision. A roommate? He hadn't lived with anyone since college, and even then it hadn't been that much of a success. He was, by self-definition, a loner. He enjoyed his privacy. But not as much as he used to. A roommate might not be THAT bad, he thought to himself. Shared rent and expenses. Someone to have around. The idea was sounding more appealing the longer he thought about it. "No more of the lovely, kind, but clueless Grace Bennett's cooking," he whispered. He rapped his knuckles against the door. Hoping SOMEONE would hear him above the blast of rock music. He tried the knob and was surprised when it gave. The door swung open noiselessly, and he found himself stepping inside. Gray eyes admiring the layout of the loft apartment, all the while searching for the phantom inhabitant.  
  
Abby froze as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. SOMEONE was in the apartment with her. She could feel it. Her fingers grabbed the pepper spray from her night stand, and she crept along the side of the wall, hunching down beside the partially open bedroom door. She held her breath as she peeked around the edge of the door, spying on the intruder. Tall, well- built, dark hair. Somehow he seemed familiar. "What the hell." she heard his muffled voice as what she assumed were M&M's crunched under his heels. She made her move during his moment of confusion. Out the door and closing the distance in a flash. "I wouldn't do anything stupid if I were you," she warned. "I'm armed and dangerous."  
  
A wave of recognition hit Nick, and he bit his lip to contain the laugh threatening to escape. "I'm afraid." "Go ahead.make my day," Abby growled as the man started to turn around. Ever so slowly. Nick's gray eyes twinkled with amusement. Abby? Dr. Abby Stone? Of all the people.he was going to have to have a word with Katie first thing tomorrow. "It's just." Abby squeezed her eyes shut and aimed the pepper spray in the direction of the voice. Grabbing the bottle of wine from the bar and swinging blindly once she dropped the pepper spray to the floor. "Holy $#!%!" the man shouted, and she struggled to free her wrist when he grabbed hold of it and held it tight, pushing her up against the wall. His feet slipped over the scattered candy and mess littering the floor, giving out on him and causing him to crash to the ground. Abby on top of him, fighting and kicking like a woman possessed.  
  
"Abby! Abby! It's just." "I'm a black belt! I know kung-fu! I can kick your ass, you bastard!" Abby shrieked like a banshee. But she stopped mid- scream. Abby? He knew her name? A friggin' stalker?!?! Oh God in Heaven.the voice! There was a reason her 'intruder' seemed familiar to her. "Oh my God! This isn't happening! Somebody tell me this isn't happening," she muttered as she stilled. Opening her eyes and getting a good look at the man beneath her. "Nick Taylor?" she squeaked. This SO wasn't how she'd imagined this particular moment. She still had on clothes for one! Well, she thought, blushing furiously as she remembered the skimpy lingerie set she'd put on today on a whim.maybe.NOT. "Oh.are you okay?" she worried aloud as she reached a tentative hand to his face.  
  
"I'm still alive," Nick answered gamely. "I guess I should have called first," he moaned softly as he shifted beneath her. "Believe me, though.I NEVER expected THIS when Katie gave me the address." She climbed to her feet, offering him a hand and cringing when he chose not to take it. Katie? So that meant. "Did I hurt you? Are you sure you're okay? Does this mean you want to run as far in the other direction as possible to get away from me?" she babbled. "I'll have to give those questions some more thought," Nick said. "Can you give me a lift to the hospital?" Abby fumbled around the kitchen counter for her car keys and stumbled toward the door before she remembered a couple things she had forgotten. Nick. And more importantly.clothes. Yeah.she was going to win Gray Eyes over all right. She was slaying him. "Wait right here. I'll be right back." Do I have any choice, Nick wondered. Did he really want THIS on a regular basis? Abby Stone had, in one evening, shaved a couple years off his life span. The possibilities frightened him.  
  
  
  
Chapter 20  
  
  
  
"You did what?" Sheridan laughed. "You know what," Abby huffed. "I'd really rather not relive the mortification of it all again. To think I came so close to actually LIVING with the man. It's hopeless anyway, Sheridan. I mean the man practically saw me naked.NO REACTION at all." Being blinded by pepper spray may have had something to do with that, Sheridan thought with a small smile. "I'm not voluptuous like SOME people around here," Abby teased as she scooted closer to Sheridan with the next gust of wind. "But I'm well-proportioned for my size. Except for these," she muttered. Glancing down at where her cleavage should have been. "There IS a silver lining though.some men enjoy the perky teen-aged look. But that would entail actual.perkiness. And youth. Dammit, Sheridan. I just can't win for losing."  
  
Sheridan shook her head. "You're.you're truly one of a kind, Abby," she said. Huddling closer as they shared body heat. "Whose bright idea was it to have this talk out here?" Sheridan asked, shivering. The sky was gray, and it looked like snow. And she was literally freezing her ass off. "Oh please," Abby rolled those continually twinkling hazel eyes at her. "It's Gossip Central in there. And have you seen Ellie Jacobs? The hussy could flatten me in two seconds flat. Katie's been hiding from her all morning. Ellie's pissed at Katie for even suggesting my place, and me for even looking twice at the man. I may know kung-fu, but this body is NOT equipped for SUMO wrestling."  
  
Katie watched Nick sneaking a glance at the two women laughing outside with just the slightest smile on his lips. "What has YOU smiling?" she decided to be nosy. She liked to think of Nick as the older brother she never had. "Nothing," Nick blinked at her. "YOU.I should be very angry with you.especially after that fiasco last night." Katie blushed. "Well," she said, ducking her head. "I was sure you'd at least CALL first. But no." she trailed off. "I heard about the pepper spray, but was it true? Did she really attack you with a bottle of wine?" The corners of Nick's mouth twitched in memory. "Let's just say I'm a very lucky man. She could have knocked me out cold with that thing. I'm crazy for even considering."  
  
"What was that?" Katie questioned with a growing smile. "Oh! You're still thinking about rooming with her! That is so great," Katie gushed. "Wait 'til Abby hears this." "Katie," Nick admonished. "I'd like to tell her the answer myself. I'm still considering my options." Which, at the moment, amounted to living in the bed and breakfast for the rest of his life or claiming a local park bench for his own. Well.he definitely needed a change in his life. And it looked like Abby Stone just might be that change. "Okay," Katie smiled. "So.how's our favorite patient doing? Are those Ali's charts?" Nick's gray eyes were hopeful as he spoke, "Good, Katie. She's doing really well. So well, in fact.I want you to do something for me. Do you think you can."  
  
Sheridan pushed Ali's hospital room door open with a beautiful smile on her face. Ali's sweet giggles always made her smile, and these were no different. "Oh, Ali," her blue eyes widened comically when her daughter turned to her. Eyes and lips all made up. Courtesy of Aunt Theresa, of course. "Are you still in there, Sweetie?" she asked as she gripped Ali's chin gently and studied her pretty little face. "Still here, Mommy," Ali's laughter tinkled forth. "Aunt Theresa did my make-up." "I can see that," Sheridan muttered under her breath. Thankfully, Ali's face and eyes were toned down by Theresa standards, but still."You look so grown-up. Wait until Daddy sees you." "Oh, Mommy," Ali sighed happily as she wound her arms around her mother's neck in a lingering hug. "Will Daddy be here soon?" "Sooner than you think," a voice answered for her, and two sets of blue eyes widened in surprise when they saw the topic of conversation grinning back at them. Accompanied by another very, very important person. "Daddy! Cristian!" Ali's nose crinkled up as the grin stole over her pretty features.  
  
Theresa smiled and ruffled Cristian's dark hair on her way out. "I hate to leave you guys, but I think this hospital room's getting a little too crowded. And I don't think Dr. Nick would like that too much. I'll see you all soon," she said. Giving her brother and Sheridan each a quick hug and pressing a kiss to Ali's forehead. "Bye, Sis," Luis waved before turning his attention back to his family. "Luis," Sheridan's blue eyes were somewhat worried as she slid her arm around his waist and looked up into his deep brown eyes. "Do you have any idea what's going on? Nick called you?" Luis kissed the tip of her nose softly, rubbing her back in comforting circles. "Katie called me. And I don't think it's anything bad. In fact, she sounded rather."  
  
Abby waited outside Ali's room while the little family reunion took place. Hazel eyes darting back and forth for any sign of Ellie. So Ellie wasn't EXACTLY Sumo material. She still had a good 50 or more pounds on her! But what she saw was ten times worse.Nick Taylor was making his way down the hall. She scurried over to a sour-faced little old man, mumbled something unintelligible, and yanked his magazine out of his hands. She needed something to hide her face behind. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she got a good look at the pages in front of her. HOLY COW! Playboy? The little old man scowled blackly at her incredulous look, and from the way his gnarled chin jutted out, it appeared he was missing a whole set of teeth. "You little old perv," she hissed. Tossing the magazine back at him. "Is that all men study? You're old enough to know better, Gramps. Not even 5% of those Barbie-wannabes are the real thing."  
  
"Abby," an amused voice interrupted her rant. "Sheridan and Luis want to know if you'd mind watching Cristian for a few minutes while they have a conference with Nick." "Katie," Abby's eyes sought out the other woman's. "Is Ali." "No," Katie rushed to assure her. "Ali's doing fine. It's good news, Abby. Sheridan just thought it'd be best if someone would watch Cristian. I'd do it, but wonder of wonders.I have another patient to see. Would you mind?" "Of course, not," Abby grinned. "Where is that little Luis clone anyway?" "I'm not a clone," Cristian's dark eyes sparkled at her when she tugged him close. "What's a clone anyway?" he asked as he looped an arm around Abby's neck, and they headed toward the hospital cafeteria.  
  
Ali giggled when Nick tickled the sole of one of her bare feet. "Great color," Nick's gray eyes twinkled as he smiled down at her newly painted blue toenails. "Really brings out your eyes. And what beautiful eyes they are," he told her. His gaze gravitating toward Sheridan's guarded blue eyes. The moment didn't go unnoticed by Luis, and he threaded his fingers through his wife's and squeezed. Slipping his arm around her waist possessively a moment later. "Nurse Katie's been bragging on you, AliCat," Nick said. Settling down on the edge of the bed and facing the tiny blond child. "She said that YOU were the BEST little patient in the ward. Don't tell anyone," Nick leaned forward. His voice dropping to a whisper. "But I think you're her favorite."  
  
Ali practically glowed. "Ali.how would like some good news?" Ali's face lit up as she asked excitedly, "Am I all better now?" The smile on Nick's face faltered for a brief second as he glanced to Luis and Sheridan. "Ali.you're doing great. You really are. But you still have a long way 'til you're ALL better. More treatments and more time in the hospital. Do you understand?" Ali's bit her lip in disappointment, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry, Ali, but that's not the good news I had for you. Hey," he said softly as he tipped Ali's chin up so she'd meet his eyes, "but you might still want to hear this news. Would you?" "Okay," Ali said. Trying to muster up another smile.  
  
"Ali.how would you like to go home for Christmas?" "Really?" the excitement was back as Ali flashed Nick a brilliant, hopeful smile. "Did you hear that, Mommy? Daddy? Dr. Nick says I can go home for Christmas." Luis gave his little daughter a thumbs up, and Sheridan smiled. "I heard, Sweetie. Isn't that wonderful? Max and Miss Priss and the kittens will be so glad to see you." "And Nana and Grandpa Martin, too," Luis reminded with a grin. "Really," Nick tapped her cute little nose with his index finger. "When?" "Well.I don't see why we couldn't have you checked out and home in your own bed by tonight. What do you say, Ali? Good news?"  
  
"The best news," Ali grinned, giving Nick a grateful hug. Nick smiled, closing his eyes and holding the little girl who'd come to mean an awful lot to him close. "I guess that's settled then. I'll send Katie back and have her tell you what to watch out for, and all that good stuff," he said. Tucking Ali's golden hair behind her ear. "Have a Merry Christmas. Consider this my present," he said softly. "Thank you," Ali and Sheridan spoke in concert. Luis's gruff 'thank you' came a second later. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have something I need to take care of. Moving into a new place," he divulged when three curious glances were cast his way. "Looks like someone else is getting an early Christmas present," Sheridan smirked. "What?" Luis and Ali looked at her strangely. "Nevermind that," Sheridan shook her head with the tiniest of smiles. "You'll find out soon enough. Let's get ready. We're going home." 


	5. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
  
  
  
"Max!" Cristian cried, bursting through the front door and racing to the excited, wriggling mass of blond fur. The puppy lavished sloppy, wet doggy kisses all over the kneeling little boy's face, causing him to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. Much to his parents' and big sister's amusement. Luis entered the living room, Ali safely tucked against his chest and his wife by his side. Sheridan gave Ali's scarf a gentle tug and pulled it from her neck, placing it beside her hat on the coffee table. Ali's golden hair tumbled free, forming a disheveled curtain around her sweet, drowsy face as mother and daughter shared Eskimo kisses. Luis brushed his lips against Ali's temple before transferring her to Sheridan's arms. "Daddy," Ali murmured when Luis walked toward the door. "Yes, AliCat?" he paused. "I'm glad to be home," she told him with a smile. "Me, too," he answered her. "Keep Mommy warm while I rustle up some more wood for the fire, 'kay?" "'Kay," Ali promised. Nestling against Sheridan as the two took a seat on the sofa.  
  
The soothing beat of her mother's heart soon lulled Ali to sleep, and by the time Luis had returned, he found Cristian curled up against Sheridan's side as well. Not quite asleep, but well on his way. "Sorry," Sheridan laughed softly as Luis looked on his family in amazement. "I know this isn't exactly how you wanted things to go tonight." Luis finished putting the rest of the logs on the fire and knelt in front of her, stroking Ali's silky hair, smiling at Cristian's relaxed posture and slightly open mouth. "You think maybe Max taught him that trick?" he joked, nodding at tiny stream of drool making its way down their son's chin. "They have been spending an awful lot of time together," she said with sparkling blue eyes. "Luis." "Shh," he hushed her with a finger against her lips. "It's okay," he told her, leaning close to capture her lips in a lingering kiss. "You look like you could use some rest yourself." "Should I say thank you or something?" she teased him. He chuckled as he climbed to his feet, and his amused expression slowly turned serious. "Get some rest. I'll wake you all in time for dinner." "Oh," she whispered with twinkling blue eyes. "He's going to cook. Tonight must be really special." "Anytime I'm with you," Luis breathed as he tucked a quilt around them, "anytime.special doesn't even begin to cover it. Sleep," he ordered after brushing her tears away. And she did.a smile gracing her lips.  
  
"Daddy?" Ali's quiet voice startled Luis, and panic immediately welled inside of him as he whirled around to face her. "What is it, AliCat? Are you.do you." "Daddy," Ali looked up at him with those impossibly big blue eyes of hers, and he felt the worry subside a little. "I want to help make dinner for Mommy." Luis smiled at her as he lifted her easily in his arms and set her down on the kitchen counter. "Well," he told her, tweaking her nose and making her giggle, "there's not much you can do since it's almost finished, but I was thinking." "What, Daddy?" Ali's blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. "You know those Christmas cookies Grandma makes that you and Mommy like so much?" "Yeah," Ali's face lit up. "Well, I was thinking." Luis pretended to ponder it further. "Oh, Daddy," Ali rolled her eyes at him. Not fooled at all. "Stop that." "Stop what?" Luis tried to act innocent. "Okay," he laughed when she crossed her arms across her chest and blew out a slightly impatient puff of air. Shades of her mother, perhaps? "But we need the recipe. Think you could call Nana and get it?" He reached to help her down, wholly conscious of how different things now were, but Ali didn't need any help. She hopped down from the counter and was across the kitchen in a shot, dialing up his mother. Luis watched her with a mixture of pride and disbelief. Watching her tonight.he could almost forget.  
  
He winked at his children, arranging pillows and quilts in the firelight for a fireside picnic. Fireside indoor picnic, he thought with an amused smirk. Max eyed him warily out of the corner of his brown eyes as his hands lowered the quilt from Sheridan's shoulders and trailed his hand down her arm to clasp her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Luis," Sheridan sighed in her sleep. Cristian giggled behind him, and he glanced back just in time to see Ali cupping a hand over his mouth. An adoring smile on her face as she watched them. Sheridan's arms slipped around his neck unconsciously, and his dark eyes smiled at her sleepy relaxed face, her blue eyes still closed as he kissed her gently. Max rest his head back on his paws, his tail thumping against the sofa cushions, content with the knowledge his beloved companion was safe. "Mmm," she dazzled him with a brilliant smile as they parted. "My favorite way to wake up." "Really?" Luis arched a dark brow at her. "I thought." "You," she ducked her head in slight embarrassment, playfully shoving him aside and wagging her finger at her giggling children. "And what do you find so funny?" she huffed. "Nothing," Ali shook her head. Biting her lip to hold back her beaming smile. "Your hair's all funny, Mommy," Cristian pointed. "Cristian," Sheridan gasped in mock horror. "I'm so hurt," she said. Turning her back on him. Cristian flew to her side, wrapping his arms around her waist. "But you're still the most beautifulest mommy in the whole entire world," he insisted, his worried brown eyes gazing up at her. If Luis was a fool for blue eyes, she was a sucker for those brown ones. She melted, scooping her son up in her arms and tickling his tummy mercilessly, even as they fell back against the pillows and became a tangle of arms and legs, and shrieking laughter.  
  
Ali and Luis interrupted their tickling session, and they enjoyed their dinner. Smiling. Laughing. Just being together. And Sheridan was happier and more peaceful than she'd been in several weeks. It was the perfect moment, she decided, to break the news to her children that they would soon be welcoming yet another new member to the family. Max, the new kittens.just what were they going to say about a new baby, she wondered as her lips curved upward into a smile. It was a whole new ball game. "Isn't she beautiful, Mommy?" Ali grinned. Holding up a tiny, smoky gray kitten. "She is," Sheridan agreed. Stroking the animal's fur. She laughed when she noticed Luis and Miss Priss giving each other the evil eye. A low growl rumbled in the cat's belly as Luis scooted closer for inspection. Sheridan burst out laughing when Miss Priss slapped his hand away as he reached for one of the kittens-a tiny Miss Priss clone. "Okay. Look," Luis held his hands up and backed away. "Hands off. I didn't lay a hand on any of them, but you're living under MY roof. I could leave you outside to fend for yourself." "Cute, Luis," Sheridan laughed. "What would the guys at the station say if they knew you regularly argued with a CAT?" she teased. "I thought you and Miss Priss turned over a new leaf." "Apparently NOT," Luis grumbled. "Pain in the ass." "DADDY!" Ali's blue eyes went wide as she lay the kitten back in its basket. "You just said the." "Ali," Sheridan cut her daughter off warningly. "Mommy, where's the soap?" she asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I know where it is!" Cristian exclaimed. Luis chuckled as Cristian tore down the hall toward the bathroom. "You're not going to let him do it, are you, AliCat?" he asked pleadingly as he tugged her onto his lap. "No," Ali giggled. "Well.maybe," she admitted. "Don't worry, Daddy," she told him as she looped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. "I'll protect you." "Did you hear that?" Luis quirked a brow at Sheridan. "AliCat'll protect me."  
  
Ali didn't have to protect Luis because the moment Cristian graced them with his presence again.Sheridan grabbed hold of his little waist and pulled him down onto her lap. "Mommy," Cristian protested weakly, but it didn't take him long to be quiet. He loved it when she held him. Even if Jake and MJ did make fun of him for it sometimes. And he REALLY loved it when she combed her fingers through his hair. Her nails tickled, but it was nice. "No soap," she whispered in his ear as she hugged him tight. "Daddy promises to be good." "I wasn't really going to do it," Cristian insisted. Wrapping his arms around hers and leaning his head back and tucking it beneath her chin. He sighed happily when she kissed his temple. He'd missed her. "I believe you," she said softly. "So." Luis spoke, reluctant to break the moment of peace and calm. But bursting at the seams to make the announcement. "Sheridan?" Ali watched her mommy intently, hanging on every breath. Then every word. "So," Sheridan answered him back, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. "We.Ali.Cristian.I'm going to." "We have an early Christmas present for you two," Luis interrupted her. Grinning at the uncertain expression on her face. Her nerves certainly weren't amusing her any, but he found it utterly adorable.  
  
"An early Christmas present?" Cristian said with growing excitement. "Where is it? Me and Jake looked.where is it?" he babbled. His cheeks flaming guiltily. "Well," Sheridan laughed slightly. "You can't see it yet." Cristian's brows knit in confusion. "I don't understand." Luis's lips twitched in amusement. "You're going to have to wait a few months," he explained. And Cristian looked from him back to Sheridan. Then to Ali. She was smiling. Like she knew something he didn't. Sometimes he felt like such a baby! "I still don't get it," he pouted. "I don't want it. You said early. But I can't see it for months. Not fair. What is it? Take it back," he mumbled. Hiding his face behind his hands. Sheridan gently pried his hands away from his face. "I'm afraid I can't do that," she told him with smiling eyes. "Why not?" "They don't give you receipts for babies," she laughed. "A baby, Mommy?" Ali squealed excitedly, scrambling off Luis's lap and crossing the room. "Cristian! A baby.you're going to be a big brother," she jabbered as she grinned down at her mommy. "Cristian? You're not saying anything," Luis prodded. "We get to keep it?" "Yeah," Sheridan laughed. "We definitely get to keep it." "Good," he smiled up at her. "But Mommy." "Yeah?" "How's Santa going to get the baby here? It won't be Christmas when it's born." "I hadn't thought of that," Sheridan managed to answer before erupting into a peal of laughter, along with Luis. And Ali. "What? What's so funny?" Cristian asked with an adorably befuddled expression on his face. He never did get his answer. He finally gave up and laughed with them. A new baby might be nice, he decided.  
  
  
  
Chapter 22  
  
  
  
Joshua stood in front of Abby's oddity of a Christmas tree, entranced by the blinking, colorful lights. "I think we finally got it," Kay announced. Carefully descending the step ladder and gazing up at her handiwork. Abby regarded the perfectly placed angel at the zenith of the tree. "Nope," she shook her tawny head slightly. "Abby, it's perfect," Kay cried as Abby tottered at the top of the step ladder in her efforts to 'give the angel a little character.' MJ stood beside Joshua, brown eyes darting to and from Abby and his mother. When he knew for certain neither was watching, he'd slide another piece of popcorn off the ornamental string and pop it into his mouth. "All that trouble.why didn't you tell me you WANTED the angel to be CROOKED?" Abby shrugged her shoulders as she hopped down.  
  
"Because she's crazy," MJ piped up with a naughty grin. "Aww," Abby cooed as she ruffled the child's dark hair. "I can always count on Hallmark sentiments from the Demon Seed." MJ rudely stuck his tongue out at her after she'd stolen a kiss. "Stop eating the popcorn off my tree, Kid. There's pizza in the kitchen." "So?" MJ rolled his eyes. "I don't want pizza. I want popcorn." "MJ!" Kay scolded. "You better listen to your mom, Kid. Or I'm going to call up all your little school friends and tell them about our 'dates'." MJ scowled at her and retreated to a distant corner. Kay picked Joshua up, propping him against her hip, and walked over to join Abby's slumped form on the sofa and admire the fruits of their labor. "Quite a change from last year," Kay commented after a few minutes of silence had passed. "Gotta rope in potential roommates somehow," Abby told her with a twinkle in her hazel eyes. "Who wouldn't want to live with that tree? We can hang the mistletoe later."  
  
"Okay," Kay said slowly. A tiny smirk on her lips. "That makes sense. In Abby logic, I guess. Any new takers since." "No," Abby groaned. "Word gets around fast in Harmony. My only hope is if Marvin the Martian decides he wants to live on planet Earth.that reminds me.MJ? Were there any new messages on my machine?" MJ thought back.there were some. But he wasn't going to tell. He was mad at Abby. Not telling her about the man who'd called about the apartment was as good a way to get back at her for threatening to tell all his buddies at school about their 'dates' as any, he thought. He shook his head vigorously. His mom eyed him suspiciously a moment, but then she turned back to Abby like she'd forgotten all about it. And they started talking. AGAIN.  
  
Women. Ugh! All they did was talk and talk and talk. And talk some more. Always with the talking. If he had to listen to this all night.he was going to have to sneak out and walk all the way to Grandpa and Nana's house. One woman was better than two. He plopped himself down in the floor opposite his mom, little brother, and Abby and glared at them. He wished Dad wasn't in Boston working, and they didn't have to stay the night with Abby while he was gone and the exterminators were doing something to their house. Exterminators killed bugs, and he liked bugs. Just another thing to be mad about. And Abby.she was always aggravating him. He didn't like it when people aggravated back.  
  
"MJ," Kay sighed heavily. "Your dad's going to be home in time for Christmas so you can lose the attitude. I know you miss him, but it's not even been a full day." "Your face is going to freeze like that," Abby warned. Shooting an identical glare his direction just to show him how silly he was being. "MJ.get yourself and Joshua ready for your bath." "But Mom," MJ protested. "It's too early!" "MJ." "Okay," he muttered. Walking up to them and taking Joshua's hand. Joshua followed him into the bathroom dutifully. "I better get in there," Kay told Abby with a smile. "Bath time is an Olympic sport with MJ." "Him, too?" Abby grinned. "That's fine. I'm going to go ahead and change. Are the boys going to sleep in the bed with you, or would you rather I pull out the sofa bed?" Kay laughed. "Are you kidding? Miss the adventure? You'd better hide all incriminating materials, though. MJ's part bloodhound. I still don't know if he gets it from Luis or from my dad."  
  
From the sounds of things, Kay wasn't kidding about bath time with the boys, Abby thought with a tickled grin as she padded into the kitchen on bare feet several minutes later. It sounded like WWIII in there. A quick glance at the microwave made her sigh. Pathetic. Abso-freakin-lutely pathetic. It WAS early. Not even eight o'clock, and she was already in her pajamas. "At least they're cute pajamas," she muttered under her breath as she withdrew the pint of Rocky Road from the freezer, immediately scooping out a mouthful. "Too bad they're two damn sizes big," she grumbled as she nearly tripped on the leg of her fuzzy blue flannel pjs. Rocky Road ice cream smeared across the front of her white tank. She snorted at the bizarre appearance of the Curious George look-alike on her chest. "Frightening. Who the hell is that?" she swore when someone knocked at the door, causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. The spoon totally missed her mouth, and she ended up with chocolate streaks across her cheeks. "This better be good," she growled as she grabbed the baseball bat behind the door and yanked the door open.  
  
Nick dropped the box in his hands and backed slowly away. "Training for the major leagues?" he tried to joke. Abby just stood there. Mouth agape for several moments. Dr. Nick was here? Back after she'd nearly blinded him such a short time ago? With boxes. Bags. He looked like he was going. Oh God. She was going to pass out. The wooden bat fell to the floor with a thud, and her hazel eyes frantically searched for a jacket, something to cover herself up. If the man had had even a smidgen of interest in her before, what with the near-fatal attack on his life and such, seeing her looking about as unsexy as humanly possible was the final nail in the coffin holding all her hopes and dreams. "Abby!" Kay called. Emerging from the bathroom, looking battle-worn and weary and toting a drowsy Joshua. "Is someone at the.Dr. Nick," she smiled. "What a nice surprise," she said. Pinching Abby's arm when Abby failed to do so much as breathe.  
  
"Surprise?" Nick looked to them both with confused gray eyes. "Didn't you get my message?" he asked Abby. "Message? What message?" Abby finally found her tongue. Dammit! Did he have to look so.edible right now? To hell with Rocky Road! "I didn't.MJ!!!" she roared. Nick started laughing when he saw a towel-clad little body scurry into a bedroom. Hurriedly locking the door. "I'm so sorry," Abby apologized. "What exactly did the message say?" she asked him carefully. Almost afraid to ask him. What if he.oh geez! He was going to sue her for all she was worth! "It was about the apartment," he finally said. Abby exhaled in relief. Then breathed in sharply as she looked at Kay with widened hazel eyes. "The apartment?"  
  
"Yes. I'm willing to pay you." "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "YOU want to live with ME? Are you sure?" she babbled. "Abby," Kay laughed, turning to Nick. "I think she's a little stunned. That's all." "Stunned doesn't even cover it. Last time you showed up I blinded you with pepper spray. This time I had every intention of swinging for a home run.I'm.are you positive you want to live with me?" "So sure I let Grace rent out my room at the B&B," Nick answered her. "But I can see I've caught you off-guard. Damned answering machines. I should go so I can find a decent hotel room."  
  
"NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Abby yelled. Nick's amused gray eyes twinkled down at her forceful hand on his arm. He resisted the urge to laugh when she tugged him inside the door. "You don't have to go. The apartment's yours. I mean, mine and yours. You can sleep with me. No, that's not right! I meant you can sleep in my bed. Not with me, obviously. Because that would be.I don't expect sex. I mean, I may not look like it," she indicated her rather.juvenile attire. "But I'm a sexual person with.urges." "Abby." Kay tried to interrupt her friend's nervous ramblings. If she didn't shut up soon, she wasn't going to be able to stop herself from howling with laughter.  
  
Nick's lips twitched as he let her talk. She was quite hilarious actually. This living together thing might actually be fun. IF she didn't kill him by mistake. "I'm not much of an adult, but.dammit," she finally cried out in frustration. The man made her flustered as hell. "Obviously, I'm insane. But if you still want the apartment." Abby and Kay held their breath as Nick thought the decision over. "I still want the apartment," he grinned at them. "We're just here until my husband." "You don't have to explain," Nick shook his head. "All right," Kay smiled. "I'll take the sofa bed with the boys, and you can settle in to your new bedroom. NO hotel rooms." "I couldn't." "You can," Kay wouldn't leave room for disagreement. "Think of it as a kind of trial." she told him when it became apparent Abby wasn't good for mumbling more than monosyllables around the man at the moment. "That's actually a good idea." he answered her.  
  
Sandwiched between MJ and Joshua hours later, Nick pushed away all the niggling little doubts in the back of his head and stared at the crooked angel in fascination as colorful lights blinked before his eyes. This was without a doubt the craziest thing he'd EVER done. But, he realized, as his eyes drifted closed and the boys' soft snoring faded to nothing.he needed a little bit of crazy in his life. Abby Stone with kid's pajamas and merry hazel eyes, quirks and BIG, bumbling mouth more than fit the bill.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 23  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mommy," Ali giggled as she flapped her arms around in the air. "I can barely move." Sheridan finished draping the soft, creamy scarf around Ali's neck and made sure the ear muffs were in place before leaning back to admire her handiwork. "Ali," Cristian exclaimed in awe. "You look like a snow angel." "Yeah, she does, doesn't she?" Sheridan smiled at her little son. Then her husband who was watching them all with such a look of wonder on his face.it made her heart ache. But in a good way. "You guys look pretty snazzy yourselves," she quirked a brow at Luis, "almost like twins." "Really?" Cristian asked with more than a touch of pride in his voice as he stood a little taller. "Of course, you have more muscles than Daddy," she teased Cristian as she tugged his hat down to cover his ears. "Mommy," Cristian rolled his brown eyes.  
  
"What?" she asked innocently, causing Cristian to snicker. "These aren't muscles," he cried. Lifting up his bulky black sweater to reveal another sweater under it. And another. "Why do I have to wear so many clothes?" "You don't want to turn into Frosty the Snowman, do you?" Sheridan said as seriously as she could. It was hard. The expression of REAL panic that flashed across her son's face nearly made her double over in laughter. THAT wouldn't have gone over very well. Not very well at all. Her baby was really taking offense to being laughed at these days. And she was a notorious repeat offender in that department. She couldn't help it. Kids DID say the darndest things. "To stay warm, silly," she smiled, patting his flushed cheeks. "Are we all ready?"  
  
Luis's hand shot out to grab her arm, and just a hint of a smile was on her lips as he tucked her scarf securely around her neck. "Thanks for taking care of me," she whispered against his lips. "You're welcome," he said. Tracing her lips with the pad of his thumb and leaning back in for another kiss. At that precise moment, the front door burst open. "Oh geez." they heard a very familiar voice mutter. "Figures. Sometimes you guys are just too.GROSS," he told them, shuddering from head to toe. "Good morning, Jake," Sheridan greeted with an amused smile. "Jake," Luis waved, chuckling slightly at the perturbed expression on Jake's enormously Hank- like face. "Glad you could join us."  
  
Jake shrugged his slim shoulders as he regarded Ali out of the corner of his brown eyes. "We drew straws, and I got the shortest," he told them with that ever-present mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Is that good or bad?" Sheridan asked as she zipped up Jake's parka, ruffling his mop of brown hair affectionately. "Good, I guess," Jake ducked his head bashfully as she smiled at him with those blue eyes. "Yeah," he grinned a second later. "Good. Sara got the longest one and had to go to Grandma's with Mom. Emmy's spending the day with Dad at Uncle Sam's." "Very efficient system you got there," Luis grinned down at his best friend's son. "You always get the short straw, don't you?" "What? Me? No way," Jake tried to act nonchalant. "Jake." "Aww, come on, Uncle Luis," Jake rolled his eyes. "A man's got to be resourceful. Can we go now?" he sighed, changing the subject. "We'll pick this back up later," Luis promised as he followed them to the car.  
  
"Wow," Jake breathed as they stood before the Crane Mansion. "Sheridan." "Yes, Jake?" she laughed softly, knowing whatever was coming would have that unique Jake Bennett perspective. "When you were growing up here, did you ever get lost looking for the john?" "Mommy," Ali's nose scrunched up in confusion. "What's the john?" "No, Jake," Sheridan explained patiently. "I never got lost looking for the bathroom." "Your old bathroom was named 'John'? Do all bathrooms have names?" Cristian asked cluelessly. Jake started laughing so hard he had to stagger through the front door when the maid answered it. "Daddy?" Cristian huffed in annoyance.  
  
Ali's blue eyes twinkled at her little brother as she clasped his hand tightly with her own and led him inside. "Jake's just being Jake," she told him. As if that explained it all. Luis hid his smile from both his children as he ushered them into the living room. Where Ivy and Ethan waited. All mysterious smiles. "Wow, Mrs. Crane," Jake admired Ivy's faux fur coat. "That's a cool coat." Ivy set the tumbler of brandy in her hand down, smiling at the young boy. Gwen's son. "How many skunks did you have to kill to make it?" The smile froze on Ivy's lips. Er.definitely Hank Bennett's son. "It's not." Jake shoved his hands in his pockets, wandering around the living room in exploration. "Is this IT? Why'd I have to dress like this if we were just going to stay in here all day?"  
  
"We're not staying in the Mansion all day," Ethan answered him with a smile. "I'm not too late, am I?" a nervous voice made them all turn around. "Beth?" Sheridan asked with raised brows as she lay eyes on the brunette. "Hi, Sheridan. Luis," Beth greeted absently. "Ethan?" "You're not late," Ethan assured her. "Well." Ivy cleared her throat. "Looks like we're all here. Ali," she offered her hand. "Would you care to escort me to the stables?" "The stables?" Ali said excitedly. "We're going to go riding?" "No, Darling. We're not going riding," Ivy let her down gently. "I don't understand." Ali's pretty face fell. "We're doing something much better," Ivy stroked the soft skin of Ali's cheek before tapping her nose affectionately. "But." "It's a surprise," Ivy whispered as she nudged Ali forward.  
  
Jake hurried after Ali and Ivy with the rest of them trailing behind a few steps. Cristian walked alongside Beth and Ethan. Sheridan watched the easy comraderie amongst the three with growing amazement. Cristian HAD spent a lot of time with Ethan lately. And from the looks of it, he was pretty comfortable with Beth as well. What that meant she wasn't sure. But it wasn't an altogether troubling revelation. A bit unexpected, yes. "Do you think." "So what if it is?" she challenged Luis playfully. "Sheridan.you know I don't." "Calm down, Luis," she laughed as she laced her arm through his and brushed a feather-light kiss along the side of his jaw. "I'm perfectly confident that you're don't have those kind of feelings for ANY woman beside me anymore. And to answer your question. No. I don't think they're anything more than friends. Good friends, it seems. But nothing more than friends. I think it's nice, Luis. They both need someone. Why not each other?" "When it put it that way.but Ethan?" She fought the urge to pelt him with the universe's largest snowball and instead settled for a simple shake of her head. "I guess some habits die hard no matter how much happens."  
  
"MOMMY!" Ali squealed a moment later, and Sheridan and Luis both instantly panicked. Rushing forward to make sure everything was okay with their daughter. "Ali! AliCat, what is it?" Luis checked her over from head to toe. "Look, Daddy," Ali pointed, beaming at them. Sheridan followed her line of vision, a brilliant smile to match Ali's taking over her entire face. "A sleigh ride," she breathed. And Ivy was pleased to find two identical pairs of crystal blue eyes sparkling back at her. "I take it the surprise is a success." "I love it, Aunt Ivy," Ali told her. Hugging her fiercely about the neck. "Ali, hurry up," Jake yelled as he raced ahead to one of the sleighs. The horses nickered in response to their arrival, and Ali giggled with delight as one of them nuzzled its nose against her palm. "Mommy! She remembers me!" "Of course, she remembers you, AliCat," Luis called to his daughter as he slipped a supportive arm around Sheridan's waist. "Thank you, Ivy," they offered their gratitude in unison. "The pleasure's all mine," Ivy sighed as she and Sheridan exchanged an embrace. "What are you waiting for? Why don't you two ride with Jake and Ali? I'm sure Cristian won't be too disappointed."  
  
Jake's face said it all as he sat beside Luis across from Ali and Sheridan. He was sorely disappointed. And Luis figured he knew the reason why.he wanted to sit by Ali! "No fair," Jake grumbled under his breath. "Just because they're girls and all pretty doesn't mean they should get all the blankets. What if I was cold, too?" "I could trade places with you, and you could share with Ali," Sheridan suggested helpfully. "You don't have to," Jake pretended not to care. "Trade or else," Luis said sternly. Hiding his smile as Jake immediately jumped up from his seat, diving under the blanket tucked beneath Ali's arms and making her giggle wildly. "Daddy!" "Jake," Sheridan laughed as she snuggled up against her husband's warm body. "I think you can come out now." "Is it safe?" Jake's brown mop of hair popped out from under the blanket. "It's safe," Luis promised with a grin. "I'll come out, but you have to promise.NO kissing." "What about holding hands?" Sheridan bargained. Jake winced, then shrugged his shoulders. It sure beat the alternative. "That's okay. But that's all. Deal?" "I'm sorry, Jake," Luis said. Dead serious. "No deal." Jake groaned and hid his face behind his hands. Great. They were doing it again. Making out. Grown-ups weren't supposed to be so disgustingly mushy. "Don't they bug you?" he looked at Ali in question. His brown eyes drawn to a tiny white snowflake clinging to her pale lashes as she blinked at him. "No," she answered sweetly. "Maybe they're not THAT bad," he conceded when she smiled at him. He smiled back, the magic of it all sweeping him up. Snowflakes, blue eyes, and Ali's smile. For just a second, time stood still, and he knew he'd always remember that moment.  
  
"Cristian," Ivy patted the space beside her. "Sit by me." Cristian obliged, sitting beside her, but soon finding himself perched on her lap as the sleigh started to inch forward, finally sliding across the snowy landscape. "Do you like my surprise?" she asked him, as his dark eyes took in everything in wonder. "Yeah," Cristian said softly. Beth laughed when Ivy tucked Cristian beneath her coat and only his dark head poked out. "Are you warm enough?" "Uh huh," Cristian nodded. "You coat doesn't stink," he smiled at Ivy a few moments later. "Why would it.oh," realization dawned on Ivy. "It's not made of skunks.it's made of." Ethan laughed out loud at Cristian's incredulous expression. Whatever Mother had whispered into his ear.it had to be good.  
  
"She's really setting Jake up, isn't she?" Ethan heard Beth's soft voice beside him. "Expertly. Gwen's going to kill me for filling his head." "You two are really still friends then?" Beth asked quietly. "We're not close," Ethan said, looking into her dark eyes. "Obviously things ended badly between us," he sighed, his gaze searching out the sleigh ahead of them. The one carrying the proof of just how far he had pushed his former best friend away. "But we've grown past that now. Gwen was such an important part of my life. It's just taken me years to figure that out," he admitted sheepishly. "There's always going to be SOMETHING there, even if it's just a slightly awkward not-quite friendship." Beth smiled at him in understanding, and Ethan found himself smiling back. Ivy whispered something else in Cristian's ear after a long look at the pair, and they both puzzled over it for a while, until some of the same bewitching magic that had seemingly taken over Jake swept all thoughts from their minds. And they enjoyed the moment.  
  
Chapter 24  
  
  
  
"So." Kay ventured with a teasing grin on her lips as she stepped closer to a bleary-eyed Abby. The edges of the sheet in their hands meeting before Abby grabbed it and doubled it once more, ignoring Kay's question and crossing the open room to the linen closet. "Does he still want the apartment? I mean, he realizes he won't spend every night sandwiched between two kicking little boys, doesn't he? Abby? Abby, are you even listening to me?" Kay laughed at the comical expression emblazoned across Abby's features. "Abby?" she queried.  
  
The muted noise of the shower was the only sound in the apartment at that moment. Which reminded her.MJ and Joshua were scarily quiet. She could never be too careful with her precocious son. Later, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Abby's voice came out as a squeak when she finally answered her, "There is a NAKED man in my shower." Kay burst into laughter. "Well, Abby.people generally don't wear clothes when they.Geez. This is only the first morning, and you already look like hell. Did you sleep at all last night?" she asked, shepherding Abby into the kitchen.  
  
Aha! Where the boys were. MJ busied himself shoveling Corn Pops into his mouth, looking just as guilty as ever. The cereal tumbled into the bowl easily as she upended the box, but the milk was a whole different story. "MJ." "What?" MJ shrugged his shoulders, giving her the innocent act. "What happened to all the milk?" "I dunno," he looked at them both with wide brown eyes. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Joshua's tall glass wobble unsteadily as he put it back on the table, and she reached a hand out to right it. It was then that she noticed. "Mmm. Corn Pops AND chocolate milk," Abby grinned, stealing MJ's glass away and making loud, slurpy sounds that had MJ scowling in disgust. Joshua smiled and pointed at Abby's chocolate milk mustache.  
  
"So.corrupting the innocent little brother again, Demon Seed?" Abby teased with a ruffle of his sleep-tousled black hair. MJ ignored her, knowing that bothered her to the extreme. Abby HATED not being noticed. But then.she'd known him, MJ Lopez-Fitzgerald, practically his whole life.there weren't many of his tricks that she didn't know by heart. She just gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek and popped a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster. "Do you think I should cook for him?" she asked Kay with wide, worried hazel eyes. "Maybe not," Kay smirked, stopping her with a hand. "Pepper spray. A baseball bat. The man might think you're trying to poison him." "Oh, you're just so damn funny," Abby muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm to spare.  
  
"You didn't answer my question," Kay reminded her before gulping down the last bit of orange juice in her glass. Abby drew her legs into the chair with her, tucking them beneath her chin, then hiding her face against her knees. "No," she mumbled. "And why not?" Kay prolonged the torture. "Do you really have to ask?" Abby hissed, cutting her hazel eyes at MJ in warning. The kid was a born and bred tattletale. MJ caught her glance and stuck his tongue out at her, then resumed his torture of his little brother. That's what kid brothers were for, right? "Have any interesting dreams last night, Abby?" Kay arched a dark brow devilishly at her. "Go to Hell," Abby mouthed silently.  
  
"That's four," MJ waved his hands above his head in triumph. "Four? Umm.Kid, I think we need to work on your math skills." "Yeah, right," MJ rolled his dark eyes at her. "You said two curse words.$1 for 'hell', $3 for 'damn', $5 for the really bad one.oh, and $2 for sh." "MJ!" Kay snapped in embarrassment, clasping her hand over his mouth. "Honestly.does one tiny hell every now and then count?" Abby grumbled as she and MJ engaged in a semi-lengthy glaring contest. "What are you? A lip-reader? See what my association with the Bennetts and the Lopez-Fitzgeralds is going to get me?" she rambled, making Kay smile despite herself. "In a few more months I'm going to have to file bankruptcy and live my life in squalor like a poor church mouse." "MJ!" Kay cried out, when MJ's elbow unceremoniously bumped Joshua's glass out of his hands, toppling it to the floor, and drenching her youngest son in chocolate milk in the process.  
  
Abby was out of her chair in a flash, waving Kay off as she moved to get a towel. "Don't bother. I'll get it. Where are his extra clothes?" "In the guest bed.Abby," Kay called out, dark eyes widening in realization as she remembered Nick's very presence in the same room. "Yeah?" Abby's tawny head poked around the corner. "Nothing," Kay answered her without turning around, a mischievous smirk on her lips. MJ wiggled his black brows at her, and a tiny laugh slipped past her lips as she grabbed him and planted a kiss on his forehead. Much to his ire, of course. Joshua's hands clapped gleefully in the pooling puddle of chocolate liquid on the table. "Abby and Dr. Nick are never going to invite us back," she said. Smiling. She liked the sound of that. Abby and Dr. Nick. Somehow, she just couldn't call him plain old Nick. His whole identity was wrapped up in the fact that he was Ali's doctor. Hopefully, the whole doctor thing would fade into the background once Ali got better, and that little wall of near- formality between the good doctor and everyone other than Sheridan would crumble like dust. First step in progress, she thought to herself as she tugged Joshua's soiled navy shirt over his dark head.  
  
"I found it!" Abby called, coming from the bedroom with arms full seconds later. Kay bit her lip to contain her grin when she saw Nick emerge from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, one of Abby's fluffy lavendar towels hanging low on his hips. She had to admit.Dr. Nick didn't clean up so bad. Taller than Luis, she assessed. Lankier than Miguel, but still quite.fit, she thought with an embarrassed rush of color to her cheeks (what the hell was she doing looking this guy over? She was a married woman, for goodness sake, and even if she weren't.). "Ab." Abby's hazel eyes twinkled at her as she launched the new tee-shirt into the air, sailing it across the room like a football. "Has anyone seen my." Nick trailed off at Abby's stunned expression.  
  
Oh my friggin'.Jesus, Abby thought as her jaw went slack in open admiration. Kay bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from laughing out loud. Yeah, Abby was definitely.IMPRESSED among a few other things, she shook her head in amusement. Nick's gray eyes were smiling down at her as he advanced on her, backing her up against the couch. Abby gulped as he leaned in close, her eyes fixated on the knotted towel at his waist for just a moment before she raised glazed hazel eyes to his face and. Nick's breath was a whisper against her skin as he reached behind her to grab his duffel bag. "My bag," he smiled at her as he straightened back up. Kay snickered at Abby as she tried to stammer a suitable response. Nick chuckled, running a rough hand through his wet dark hair as he spoke to her. "You might want to breathe every now and then. I've heard it's quite beneficial to your health," he advised her as he sauntered back off in the direction he had come. Not even two seconds later, Abby hit the floor with an audible thud, having slid from the couch's arm in a boneless heap. And Kay erupted into helpless laughter as her two confused children looked on.  
  
  
  
Chapter 25  
  
  
  
"So Sweetie," Sheridan smiled as she gently rubbed the towel over Ali's golden hair, making it shine and shimmer in the pale light emanating from the open bathroom door. "Did you like Aunt Ivy's surprise?" Ali's smile was bright and genuine as she nodded her head, and she giggled when Sheridan wrapped the fluffy towel around her shoulders and tugged her close. "Uh huh. It was fun. Can we ride the sleigh again tomorrow, Mommy?" "Well, I don't know," she tapped Ali's nose with her index finger, standing up and lifting her daughter into her arms. Ali wrapped her arms loosely around her mommy's neck and studied her with blue eyes that sparkled, even in the shadows.  
  
"Don't you remember, Silly?" Sheridan teased as she twirled them around. Until they both were dizzy. "Remember what?" Ali giggled as they collapsed onto her twin bed, sending stuffed animals flying and Miss Priss caterwauling. "Tomorrow's the big Christmas party, and." "It's our turn," Ali's blue eyes grew wide with remembrance. "And everybody's coming," Sheridan smiled. "Everybody?" Ali questioned excitedly. "Everybody," Sheridan affirmed. "Nana and Grandpa Martin promised to come early, too." Ali sighed happily as she snuggled close to her mother. "Do we get to tell them about the new baby tomorrow?" "That's the plan," Sheridan said, giving Ali an extra tight squeeze before scooting off the bed and picking up the pair of pajamas laying across the back of Ali's tiny vanity chair.  
  
The towel slipped from Ali's slim shoulders, falling to the floor, and she held on to Sheridan's shoulders as she stepped into the pants. The tiny white buttons were fastened, and Sheridan swept Ali's lavendar satin encased arms to grasp her small hands. Ali giggled when she brought each palm to her lips and kissed it. "Mommy.that tickles. Mommy!" she squealed as Sheridan planted loud kisses all over her face and neck. She smelled like baby shampoo after her bath, her hair still framing her sweet face in damp waves. "Get your brush so Mommy can brush your hair," she smiled, cupping her silky cheek in the palm of her hand. "Okay, Mommy," Ali chirped. She emerged from the bathroom moments later, arm outstretched with the ivory-handled brush as she scrambled onto the bed and settled between Sheridan's legs, leaning back against her chest. Sheridan brushed Ali's golden hair in gentle strokes, smiling slightly as Ali stretched her legs out along hers, wiggling her toes back and forth. They had matching red toenails. The holiday spirit and all. Ali hugged Cristian's bunny to her, tucking it beneath her chin. "Mommy," she murmured contentedly. "Yes, Baby?" "I want to sleep in Cristian's room with him and Jake tonight. Please," she pleaded. "You can fix me a bed on the floor. I don't have to sleep with Cristian. He makes a funny noise with his teeth, Mommy. It's so annoying," she huffed, making laughter spill from Sheridan's lips. "Will you, Mommy? Will you fix me a bed?" Ali twisted in her arms, gazing at her with expectant blue eyes.  
  
"Oh, I think I can do better than that," she answered her. "I bet with a little convincing I can get Daddy to let all three of you sleep in the living room, and we'll stay up all night long, watching all your favorite videos and drinking hot chocolate until the sun comes up." "Really?" Ali's blue eyes twinkled with happiness at the thought. "Really," Sheridan nodded her head. "All you have to do is go give Daddy lots of kisses. Daddy can't resist kisses," she winked. "Scoot," she smiled, standing up and waving her out of the bedroom, her eyes suspiciously bright as she looked at the hairbrush in her hand.  
  
The bathroom tiles were slightly cold under her bare feet as she pulled the golden strands from its bristles, depositing them in the waste basket beside the sink. "Mommy," Ali's glossy head peeked back around the corner. "Daddy said he's waiting." "Tell him I'll be right there, 'kay Sweetie?" Ali darted back down the hall, and Sheridan brushed the tears from her lashes as she studied her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Teary eyes and a red nose just would not do. She splashed cold water onto her face and dabbed at her nose with a tissue before walking out of Ali's room.  
  
Luis smile was replaced with a look of worry, and she smiled reassuringly at him as she sank into his warm embrace, cuddling closer as he wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. "Mommy," Ali smiled between sips of her hot chocolate. "We're going to watch the Aristocats next. It's Miss Priss's favorite movie." Luis chuckled beside her, and his softly muttered "I bet" had her elbowing him in the ribs, fighting her own laughter. There WERE certain parallels. Miss Priss's blue eyes glittered suspiciously at Luis in the firelight, and a hateful meow rumbled in her throat.  
  
"Ali, do we HAVE to watch Lady and the Tramp? Don't you have thousands of other movies?" Jake grumbled. "I like Lady and the Tramp," Cristian piped up, earning himself a dark scowl. "You just don't like it 'cause your dad said." Cristian started, but was cut off by Jake's hand clamped over his mouth. "What did Hank say?" Luis smirked. "That Ali was the Lady and Jake was the." Cristian mumbled behind Jake's hand. "Can we watch the movie? NOW!" Jake bellowed embarrassedly.  
  
Lady and the Tramp AND Duchess and O'Malley lived happily ever after, but Luis and Max were the only ones left awake to witness it. Sheridan watched him, woken more by his absence at her side than his quiet movements, uncertain if it were dream or reality as he turned the television off and knelt before the children. Cristian lay half-sprawled across Jake's legs and Ali slumbered comfortably next to the young man himself while the fire crackled behind them, her golden hair spilling across the pillows and her face relaxed and peaceful. Cristian mumbled something incoherent in his sleep as Luis straightened him out next to Jake, tucking blankets around them all before climbing to his feet and crossing the room to her side. She nestled close to his heart as his arms closed around her, already asleep as he carried her to their bed. Their long day finally at an end. 


	6. Chapter 26

Chapter 26  
  
  
  
She watched the sun rise, painting the wintery landscape outside their bedroom windows in a pale shimmer, tucked securely against his warmth. Luis's breath was gentle against her neck as he nuzzled it, and she felt the flutter of his eyelashes against her skin as he pressed his cheek to hers. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she murmured, wrapping her own arms tightly around the arms that held her to him. "Another brand-new day. Together," she added softly. As an afterthought. His voice was deep and sleep-roughened as he answered her, "Yes, it is." A languid sigh left her lips as he kissed the curve of her neck and slid his hand beneath the pajama top she wore to caress her belly with his thumb. "I think I like the together part best," he said, and she could feel him smiling against her shoulder as he eased the thin spaghetti strap down her arm.  
  
She laughed softly, covering the hand on her belly with her own. "Why am I thinking you and I have different meanings of the word?" she teased, shivering slightly as he brushed her hair back from the nape of her neck, trailing his lips across it. "Luis, at least shut the door," she said when she found herself flat on her back. Luis's dark eyes sparkled at her. "They're sound asleep, and even if they weren't, what I'm doing." he whispered as his hands pushed the material of her top up to reveal her abdomen, "isn't something bad." Her stomach muscles fluttered beneath his lips as they brushed against her skin, and laughter spilled from her lips. "I'm sorry," she apologized when he raised amused dark eyes to her face, and she cupped his jaw in her palm. "It tickles. Luis, what on earth are you doing?" she questioned breathlessly when he placed another kiss just inches above her belly button. He ignored her question, resting his cheek against her warm skin, and she smiled when she heard him whisper, "Good morning, Baby."  
  
"I'm sure she thinks her daddy's crazy," she teased, combing her fingers through his black hair. "She?" he questioned in surprise. "What makes you so sure 'she' isn't a 'he'?" he asked, spreading his hand out over her waist as he propped himself up on his elbow and just looked at her. Her blue eyes twinkled at him as she shook her head. "I'm NOT sure, Luis. It just.slipped out. What? Would you rather.do you want another boy? That way you'll still be able to spoil Ali rotten with the excuse that she's the only girl," she teased. "I don't need any excuses," he grinned down at her, his face hovering over hers. "She'll always be my AliCat. Always," he repeated, his voice taking on a more serious quality as the grin slowly faded. "It doesn't matter. Boy or girl. As long as our baby's healthy."  
  
"Oh, Luis," she sighed, snaking her arms around his neck and pulling him close. "You're not going to lose Ali. You're not going to lose me or Cristian. You're not going to lose the baby. Never. Not if I can help it," she promised, pressing a kiss next to his ear. "God, how I love you, Woman." "Luis," she burst into laughter. "So not you," she said, her body shaking against him. "But I'm not complaining," she laughingly told him, tracing his features with her fingertips. "I'll take an 'I love you' from you any way I can get it," she smiled, leaning forward to peck him on the lips. "What kind of kiss is that?" he teased, and the smile on her face broadened when his welcome weight pressed her deeper into the mattress.  
  
"Luis.remember," she quirked a brow at him as he brushed her blond hair back from her forehead with his fingers. "The kids.open door." "Just one," he whispered against her mouth. Just before gently tugging her bottom lip between both of his own. She melted against him as he continued his sweet assault on her lips and mouth, exploiting his 'one kiss' for all it was worth. She broke away, panting. Blue eyes bright and skin flushed with color when she felt his hand creeping under her top up her ribcage. "Cheater," she said breathlessly, realizing that somehow, they had quite literally gotten tangled up in each other. One of his legs was between hers, her arms hung loosely around his neck, and she was thisclose to giving the next person that walked past their bedroom door a free peep show.  
  
The next person. "Jake!" she said suddenly, her blue eyes flying to the disgusted little Hank clone with the deviously sparkling brown eyes standing just outside their bedroom door. "Jake, we didn't know you were awake," she babbled nervously as she scrambled out of the bed. Luis following her act. Tugging a tee-shirt over his dark head. "Obviously," Jake rolled his eyes at them. "At least my parents SHUT their door," he said pointedly. Sheridan slugged her husband in the stomach when she saw the amused smirk on his face. "Damn, Sheridan," he winced. "That hu." "Girls hit like sissies. Don't they, Uncle Luis?" Jake looked to him for validation. "Yeah, Buddy," Luis gave Jake a fatherly pat on the shoulder as he walked by him. "Like sissies," he said, cutting his eyes at his wife and finding the infuriating smirk on her lips this time as she slipped on her robe and followed them out into the hall.  
  
"Don't tell me you eat breakfast THIS early at your house," Luis kidded as they herded the boy into the living room. Jake answered as he expected. With that perfected eye roll. No more words were needed. "Well?" Luis prodded, following Jake's brown eyes across the room. Watching Sheridan cuddle a still-sleeping Ali in her embrace while his dazed little son, unaccustomed to the early hour, staggered toward the couch. Cristian plopped down onto the couch, his little hands searching for the remote control, and seconds later, the television came alive. Luis chuckled, watching his son for several seconds. Cristian was watching cartoons half- asleep, his mouth hanging open, and his lids heavy as he slumped against the arm of the sofa. "Jake," Luis said, his eyes drawn to Jake's balled up fist when he turned his gaze to him again. "What do you have in your hand? Jake?" Jake sighed, opening his fist over Luis's palm. Strands of golden silk escaping. "I found this on her pillow," he muttered. Face downcast. "It's not a lot, but I didn't want her to get scared," he explained when Luis failed to say anything. When Luis finally spoke, his voice was choked with emotion. "Thank you."  
  
"Where'd Jake go?" Sheridan asked, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and resting her head against his shoulder. "Luis?" she said his name gently, sensing the tension in his body. "Why didn't you tell me." his voice was a faint whisper as he unwrapped her arms from his waist and turned around to face her. "She's.it's just a little bit, but it's really happening. Her hair." he trailed off. Her blue eyes welled with sympathy. And understanding. Ali stirred slightly behind them, and her voice dropped to a whisper as she tried to explain. "I didn't want to upset her by making a big deal about it. Nick warned us this could happen. It's hard. I mean, I hoped.she has such beautiful hair. I can hardly stand to see it cut," she laughed. Slightly embarrassed. This is.," her voice was wistful as she glanced at their daughter whose blue eyes were just beginning to blink awake.  
  
"Mommy," Ali called to her softly. "It grows back," Luis finished for her, his voice growing stronger with each syllable. She leaned back against him as she turned to Ali with a brave smile on her face. "What is it, Sweetie?" Ali stretched her arms out, smiling at them both with twinkling blue eyes. "I need a hug." "Oh, you NEED a hug, do you?" Sheridan smiled as she walked closer, scooping Ali's warm little body back into her arms. "What about Daddy?" Luis pretended to be hurt. "Oh, Daddy," Ali giggled. Holding out an arm for him, too. Cristian slid off the couch to burrow into his mother's side sleepily. Luis rumbled with laughter when Jake announced his return with "Geez. Mushy saps. You guys make me sick!" "I can give you a hug, too, if you want," Sheridan offered with a bright smile. "And ruin my reputation?" Jake scoffed, trodding toward the kitchen. "Forget it. What does a guy have to do to get some breakfast around here?"  
  
  
  
Chapter 27  
  
  
  
"Kay? Why are hanging mistletoe in EVERY door again?" Kay grinned at Gwen across the room. "Just a favor for a friend." "And does this friend happen to have a monster crush on a certain little girl's handsome doctor?" Gwen asked, smirking. Hank set the mug of eggnog in his hands down on the kitchen counter and glared up at his wife. "YOU think Taylor's handsome? And Tink? Tink and Taylor? No way, Babe. Never going to happen." Kay bit her lip to keep from laughing when Gwen winked at her before turning back to her husband. "Don't think I don't see right through you, Bennett. You're just jealous because you secretly have a thing for Abby. Admit it. You LOVE it when she pinches your ass," she teased him, stepping down from the step-ladder and standing in front of him. "You're the only one I want pinching my ass," Hank grinned at his wife, leaning in and attacking her with a ferocious kiss. Gwen laughed against his lips as his hands traveled.well, everywhere. And she squealed when they slid down her hips to. "HANK!"  
  
Kay howled with laughter, and Sheridan joined her, offering her a mug of eggnog. "Are we SURE all the mistletoe's such a GOOD thing?" she questioned with a wide smile on her face. "I mean, you guys know Abby, right?" Kay's grin revealed she did, indeed, KNOW Abby. "Come on, Sheridan," she slipped an arm through her sister-in-law's. "I can guarantee this is going to be entertaining." "But are we even sure she's going to be able to convince Nick to come? From what I gather, she hasn't even been able to speak much other than Pig Latin to the man from the moment they met," Sheridan smirked. "Oh, he's coming," Hank muttered under his breath, causing Gwen to give him a curious glance. "And miss a chance to pine over my buddy's wife from afar? You bet he's coming," he hissed in explanation.  
  
"Oh, I took care of that," Kay told Sheridan. "They'll be here. I see you escaped from Hell," Kay laughed at Sheridan, arching a slender black brow toward the kitchen. "My mom and Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald in the same kitchen. Tell me, Sheridan. Is it safe?" Hank ducked his head around the kitchen corner, and just as hurriedly, turned back to them pale-faced. "I hope you girls have a hankering for Tomato Soup Cake. So far it looks like the only thing on the menu. Sheridan? You look a little green around the gills," he said. "You don't have to eat a whole piece. Just one little nibble and throw it to the little yapper Tink got you." "Hank!" "What, Babe? You hate Tomato Soup Cake as much as the rest of us." "Not THAT," she glared. "You'll make Max sick." "Huh?" Hank shrugged his shoulders. "You're worried about the mutt?" he grumbled, glancing over to the overgrown puppy, currently slobbering all over a stolen candy cane. "Hey! Where'd everybody go?" he asked, noticing for the first time he was all alone.  
  
Kay winced as she listened to the sounds of Sheridan retching behind the closed bathroom door. "Poor Sheridan." Gwen nodded her head, tucking a loose strand of blond hair behind her ear. "I had the same reaction once when Hank just MENTIONED that dreadful stuff when I was." she trailed off, her brown eyes widening. "When you were what?" Kay's voice had a pleading quality to it. "She's pregnant," Gwen whispered, a grin stealing across her face. Kay smiled back at her. "Come on, Gwen. What kind of definitive proof do you have? People have been hurling in response to Mom's Tomato Soup Cake since my kindergarten days. It's really not that unusual." "True," Gwen conceded Kay's point. "But." "Cristian," Kay grabbed the little boy by the arm as he scurried past. "Uh huh," Cristian mumbled, his dark eyes darting back and forth worriedly. Emily had already put one of Ali's dresses on Joshua. He didn't want to be the next victim! "How do you feel about being a big brother?" "Okay," he answered, and the smile on Gwen's face grew impossibly larger. "But where's it going to sleep? In my room or Ali's?" "In its own nursery," a voice said, and Kay jumped, startled to find Sheridan right behind her. Cristian released a sigh of relief. "Mommy, can I go play outside with Jake and MJ?" "Sure.but be sure to bundle up!" she called after him as he sprinted down the hall.  
  
Kay and Gwen followed Sheridan into Ali's bedroom, barely containing their shared excitement as they watched Sheridan settle back against Ali's mountain of stuffed animals and pillows. "So?" Gwen was the first to speak. "A new baby? Sheridan, I'm so excited for you!" "Why didn't you just ask me instead of tricking my son?" she laughed at Kay's slightly embarrassed expression. "Force of habit?" Kay offered with a shrug of her shoulders. Taking a seat opposite Sheridan. Gwen playfully pushed Sheridan aside to make room for herself beside her. "So.how'd this happen?" "Do you really want an answer to that? Diagrams and everything?" Gwen snorted, and Sheridan's blue eyes twinkled with amusement. "What I want to know is when you even find the time." Kay's dark eyes gleamed wickedly. "Miguel's too afraid MJ's going to burn the house down to give me a honest to goodness kiss. Not a measly peck." "I swear.Jake can be abnormally quiet when he wants to be," Gwen confided, and Sheridan and Kay burst into laughter. "And THIS is a secret?" Sheridan teased. "Just this morning.oops," she clamped a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. "Hi, Emily," she waved to the little girl standing in Ali's open doorway.  
  
"Emmy!" Gwen exclaimed when she saw Joshua, practically swimming in one of Ali's dresses, Sheridan's lipstick on his lips and lines of mascara all around his eyes. "He liked it," Emily explained in a tiny voice. "Are you mad at me?" she pouted. "No," Gwen sighed. Lifting her sniffling daughter into her arms. She felt Emily's forehead and found it warm to the touch. "Kay, I'll clean him up right after I give her her medicine." "Don't worry about it," Kay shrugged it off. "She was right. He likes it," she said, cracking a smile as she pulled Ali's light pink dress over Joshua's dark head. "He does?" Sheridan smiled when Joshua grinned at her. As if he actually KNEW what she was saying. "Yeah," Kay said matter-of-factly. "But I'm not worrying about it. Have you seen the pictures of Uncle Hank dressed up in Grandma Bennett's old dresses?" "No," Sheridan laughed, clasping a hand over her mouth. "You have pictures?" "No kidding," Kay grinned at her. "I think there's even some of Luis. Luis is gorgeous, but I have to say this, Sheridan. Uncle Hank makes the better woman," she snickered. "Mom has the pictures at home. You want to see them sometime?" "Would I ever," Sheridan's blue eyes sparkled when she answered. "Do you need any help? I want to check on Ali." "No, I'm fine. Go ahead," Kay waved her off as she headed to the bathroom, Joshua in tow.  
  
She found Ali in the kitchen with Pilar, Grace, and now. "Eve! I'm so glad you could make it," she told her as she enveloped the older woman in a friendly hug. "Where's T.C.?" "He went to pick Simone up at the airport. Whitney's not coming for a couple more days." "Kay will be so happy to catch up," Grace said, turning around and smiling at them all. "What about Jessica, Grace?" Pilar asked conversationally. "She and Reese aren't coming actually. But Sam and I were planning on flying in and spending Christmas with them. It's been so long since we've seen the children. We're trying to convince Kay and Miguel to make the trip, too, but they don't want to leave." Grace trailed off awkwardly, her blue eyes resting on Ali's downcast golden head. Sheridan feathered her fingers through her Ali's long hair and cast a reassuring smile Grace's way while Ali continued coloring her masterpiece.  
  
"That's the whole point of this party. So we can all be together in one place before we scatter to opposite ends of the earth in a few days. I'll talk to her if you want. Faith I've met, but I haven't seen the little boy." "He looks like his father," Grace revealed. "I think I have some pictures in my purse." They watched Grace disappear into the other room, and as soon as they were sure she was out of hearing distance, Eve and Pilar exchanged a knowing look. Pilar adjusted the oven's temperature a couple.hundred.degrees. "Pilar!" Sheridan gasped. "It's going to burn." "And we won't have to eat it?" Ali piped up hopefully. "Ali." "Here they are," Grace announced her return, waving a handful of photos under Sheridan's nose. "He DOES look like Reese!"  
  
"Mama! Are you in there?" "Aunt Theresa!" Ali squealed happily, scrambling down from her bar stool and flying out of the kitchen. The twosome entered the kitchen moments later, Ali's arms wrapped around Theresa's waist lovingly. Eve took the pictures from Sheridan's hand, absently studying the children smiling back at her as she asked, "Where's Chad?" Ali let go of Theresa long enough to let her share a hug with her mommy, and the next moment she was glued back to her side. "He's outside, getting pounded with snowballs by Hank, Luis, and the boys." "A snowball fight?" Ali's blue eyes twinkled at the possibilities. "Mommy? Please?" Ali pleaded, her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. Theresa's nose wrinkled at a disturbingly familiar odor. "I'll go outside with her," she promised. "Okay," Sheridan relented, tapping Ali's nose with her index finger. "But don't let those boys." "Mommy," Ali rolled her blue eyes at her. "Sara's out there, too." "Theresa, make sure she's warm enough before you even let her step out of that door." "Yes, Mom," Theresa's big brown eyes sparkled at her. "Sheridan, don't worry so much. Luis is out there. Papa. Miguel. Hank. Sam. Chad. And Jake and the other boys. Believe me.between them and me.NOTHING'S going to happen to Ali."  
  
"I believe you," Sheridan finally said. Ali pulled Theresa out of the kitchen toward her bedroom, and Sheridan leaned her head against Pilar's shoulder when she felt her comforting touch on her own shoulder. "Theresita's right, Mija. Don't worry yourself so." "You said Abby was coming, right?" Eve asked. "She's coming," Kay reiterated, entering the kitchen. "And she's bringing Dr. Nick with her. Trust me." Joshua beamed when Grace grabbed him up in her arms and kissed his cheeks. "And Ethan and Ivy are still coming?" Pilar questioned, doing a mental count in her head. "What? Do we not have enough food?" Kay grumbled. "Don't worry, Kay," Grace said perkily. "I made enough Tomato Soup Cake for EVERYONE," she announced. Sheridan choked on her own tongue when Kay made a gagging motion behind her mother's back. "What's that atrocious smell?" Gwen asked, wandering into the quickly crowding kitchen. Sans Emily. "Oh, Dear," Grace panicked, thrusting Joshua into Eve's lap and rushing across the room. Just in time to withdraw the charred remnants of her infamous Tomato Soup Cake. Smoke filled the room, and its occupants rushed into the living room, coughing and choking for air. "What happened?" Grace cried woefully, soot blackening her face, as the cake pan wobbled at the end of her outstretched arm. Pilar and Eve exchanged guilty looks, and Kay shrugged her shoulders while Sheridan broke into a RUN for the bathroom, looking greener than ever. Gwen hot on her trail. "The cake's obviously burned, Mom. What a shame." "Oh, Kay, Honey." Grace smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. I have enough ingredients left to make another cake before Ethan and Ivy even get here," she lowered the boom on them all, wandering back into the hazy kitchen. Her ears as deaf as Joshua's to the collective groan that circulated through the house.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 28  
  
  
  
"Pilar? Are you sure I can't help somehow?" Beth questioned earnestly. "I'm sure," Pilar smiled at the younger woman. "Grace and Eve and I have everything under control." "Okay," Beth gave her a tiny smile before wandering back into the living room. Eve and Grace watched her sit down on the sofa beside Ethan. Ivy caught them spying and grinned, arching a brow at them in response. Grace waved at her with a silly smile on her face as Eve pulled her back into the kitchen. "Pilar?" Eve couldn't restrain herself from asking. "Are you sure something's not going on between Beth and Ethan?"  
  
"They're just friends," Luis answered, startling all three women. "What?" he shrugged his shoulders, an amused smirk on his lips as he opened one of the cupboards. "Mijo," Pilar held a hand to her chest. "We didn't hear you come in." "Too busy gossiping?" Luis teased. Opening the cupboard in front of him and searching for something in particular. "Dammit, where are they?" he swore under his breath. "Mijo?" Pilar looked at her son oddly when he snatched a packet of saltines from the next cabinet. "Yes, Mama?" "It's almost time for dinner," Pilar said, holding her hand out for the crackers. Luis grinned at her and turned on the charm. "I won't tell anyone if you don't," he whispered, winking at Eve and Grace over his mother's shoulder as he hugged her close.  
  
"Luis, you didn't have to." Gwen said, sliding off the bed next to Sheridan and reaching for her sleeping daughter. Luis shook his head, shifting Emily against him with one arm and handing the package of saltines to Gwen with the other. "Here," Gwen handed them to Sheridan, and Sheridan took one out, nibbling on it. Gwen laughed softly. She looked positively wiped out. "Would you believe I've felt only the tiniest bit nauseated before today?" Sheridan muttered miserably. "My timing couldn't have been better," she sighed, leaning against Gwen's offered shoulder. Luis finished tucking the covers around Emily's shoulders and reached across the width of the bed, grabbing his wife's hand and twining their fingers together. Gwen felt like an intruder on a private moment as they shared a quick smile, and Luis left the bedroom. "Who needs timing?" she told Sheridan with sparkling brown eyes. "You have THAT, and you're complaining about timing? Come on, Sher. I think what you need most is some fresh air."  
  
"It's too quiet out here," Gwen commented, pulling Sheridan forward by the arm. She was right, Sheridan realized. The only sound to be heard was the crunching of their boots in the snow. "Where is everybody?" she murmured, whirling around to look in all directions. Gwen caught a flash of gold out of the corner of her eye and smirked. "Mommy! Wat-" "Oh my God! Sheridan!" she shrieked as the first snowball whizzed past her head, yanking Sheridan behind the nearest tree, "they're going to ambush us." "Mommy, watch out!" "Ali, you're not supposed to warn them," Jake's disgusted reply had Sheridan and Gwen shaking with laughter. "Always the little angel, that one," Gwen scooped a handful of snow into her gloved hands. "We're not going to go down without a fight," she grinned, handing the snowball over to Sheridan. "Here. You've got a good arm. By the treehouse. MJ, Cristian, and Sara." Sheridan pulled back her arm, aimed, and. "HEY!" MJ's shout assured her she'd hit at least one of her targets. Gwen sailed a gigantic snowball in the direction she'd heard her son's voice and seconds later the stillness of the winter afternoon was broken with Jake's yells of "WAR!"  
  
Sheridan ducked just in time to avoid being nailed in the face, and the snow went flying as the snowball made contact with Gwen's shoulder. "YOU!" she cried, catching sight of Luis behind a tree directly opposite them. "I take it back," Gwen grumbled. Squatting to grab more snow. "Luis.prepare to die," she grinned. "Oh, and you too, Bennett. That is you hiding behind him, isn't it? My husband.so brave. So courageous. Come out into the open like REAL MEN," she challenged. Sheridan burst into laughter when Sam was the only man to meet the dare. "Sam! How could you?" "I thought.where are the others?" Sheridan asked Gwen, scooping more snow into her hands. "SHERIDAN! LOOK OUT!" "Gotcha!" Jake pumped his fist into the air as Sheridan wiped the stinging snow from her face. Chad and Theresa appeared from nowhere, hailing them with yet more snowballs, and Ali sprinted across the yard to her mommy's side. "You looked like you needed reinforcements," Martin said with a smile, somewhat short of breath. Miguel joined Chad when Theresa defected to the their side, and Kay immediately made herself invaluable, pelting not just her father, but also Luis, Chad, and her Uncle Hank with an all-out arsenal.  
  
"Do you think they're having fun?" Ethan laughed, letting the curtain fall back into place. Beth took another glance at the mayhem outside. Hank was frantically weaving in and out of the protection of the trees with Gwen in hot pursuit. MJ and Jake were true to their word, waging war on Sam. With a little help from Sara, using all her natural sneakiness and cunning and attacking her uncle from the safety of the tree house. Kay and Miguel, it appeared, had decided Sam needed some help, and Beth laughed softly when the twosome teamed up to clobber their own son. Her laughter died in her throat when she spotted Theresa and Chad, pressed close against the shelter of a nearby tree. They were laughing and smiling at each other, and her dark eyes gravitated toward Ethan's emotionless face as the two kissed. "Ethan?" "Yeah?" Ethan seemed to shake himself out of a daze and answered. "Does it bother you? Seeing them." "No," he smiled at her, his blue eyes dancing as they were drawn to a certain something hanging just above their heads. Beth blinked at him in surprise when he kissed her gently on the cheek. "I'm moving on with my life," he told her. "Mistletoe," he said, pointing to the sprig. "Luis is insane." "W-What?" Beth stammered. "He just tackled Aunt Sheridan to the ground." "Oh," Beth blushed in embarrassment. "Bad memories from childhood, Darling?" Ivy came up behind them. "Sheridan always won," Ivy grinned at Beth over the top of her mug. "Oh, Dear. Look who just arrived."  
  
"Hurry up! We're missing all the fun!" Abby exclaimed, grabbing Nick's hand and dragging him with her into the middle of all the action. Dammit! This woman was going to get him killed inside a month, Nick thought, as he stumbled behind her. He heaved a relieved sigh when Abby dropped his hand to pounce on top of none other than Hank Bennett. "Dammit, Tink. You're going to pay for this," Hank grumbled, whirling around. Trying to throw Abby off his back. Abby only clasped her arms tighter around his neck, and in all the commotion, Hank lost his balance. "Timber!" Abby shouted. "Thanks, Abby," Gwen grinned, offering her a hand up. "I think I can take it from here," she laughed when her husband made no move to get up. "Babe," Hank's muffled voice reached her ears. "What is it, Bennett? Quit being such a baby and face the music. Bennett," she muttered, rolling her brown eyes at his prone form. "Gee, Abby. You really have a way with men," Kay cracked. Nick agreed silently, nodding his head without thinking about it. "Babe.can't.feel.face.numb." "Faker," Abby said, prodding Hank with her boot. Hank moaned in response, a truly pitiful sound, and Gwen grabbed him by the shoulder to turn him over. "Hank, are you." Gwen's worried question was cut off by a mouthful of snow and ice. Hank's brown eyes twinkled devilishly at her as he pulled her down on top of him. "I just wanted to." Abby and Kay howled with laughter when Gwen smeared snow all over Hank's face while Nick smiled in amusement. "I guess I deserved that," he grumbled good-naturedly. "Sam.Sam, don't say a damn thing," Hank warned his smirking big brother.  
  
Hank pulled himself to his feet and dusted the back of his jeans off, giving Abby a menacing glare. "Payback's a bitch." "Oh, I'm so scared," Abby held a hand to her mouth. "Look at me. I'm shaking in my boots." "Just you wait. When you least expect it." Hank wagged a finger in front of her nose. "DAMN!" he swore when Abby nipped at his finger with her teeth. "Dad, stop being such a potty mouth," Sara ordered. Abby took one look at the Demon Seed and could see he was already calculating the potential moola in his head. "Welcome to the Lopez- Fitzgerald/Bennett/Russell/Crane Christmas party. The rest of the evening is going to be anything BUT boring," Kay promised Nick with a wink. "I can see that," Nick smiled, his gray eyes scanning his surroundings. For someone in particular, Kay realized. The poor guy looked like he was sucker-punched the moment he found her.Sheridan and Luis were still where they were before Nick and Abby's arrival. "Aren't they cold yet?" Theresa wondered out loud. "Yuck!" MJ shouted at the top of his lungs. "AHEM!" Abby made her presence known. And Luis reluctantly released his wife's swollen lips. "There are CHILDREN present. C'mon. Aren't you even going to say hello? I'm here. The party can start now," Abby grinned, holding out a hand for Sheridan. "Nick.you came. I'm so glad," Sheridan gave him a sincere smile. Nick's gray eyes were drawn to the protective arm Luis had around Sheridan's waist then they fell to Cristian who gazed up at him shyly from his father's side. "Hi, Dr. Nick," Ali waved sweetly as Martin trudged past them. "Thanks for the invitation," he said quietly. "Did SHE cook?" he asked, looking a little green around the gills when Grace appeared at the front door, beckoning them all to come inside for dinner. A wicked grin tugged at the corners of Luis's mouth as he answered, "Grace Bennett? She's a wonderful cook. Have you ever one of her Pea Soup Cupcakes?" "You've really done it now," Gwen muttered as Sheridan hurriedly ducked behind the closest tree. "No," Nick answered, looking ghastly pale. "I can't say that I have."  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 29  
  
  
  
"I can't believe it. I went through all that trouble for nothing," Kay muttered as Abby crossed the threshold into the Lopez-Fitzgerald home without noticing the abundance of mistletoe above her head. Maybe it was a good thing. She didn't think Sheridan was Abby's partner of choice. "Mama!" Abby grinned, holding her arms open to Pilar as soon as she saw her. "Where's Papa?" she questioned, hazel eyes searching Martin out as soon as she'd released Pilar. Pilar's dark eyes were laughing as she pointed her husband out to their adoring 'adopted' daughter. Adopted in the sense that Abby had adopted them, not the other way around. She didn't mind, though. She was fond of Abby. Everyone was fond of Abby. It took a lot of energy to actively dislike her.  
  
"Scoot over, Ali," Abby ordered, plopping down on Martin's free knee and nearly making him groan. "I'm not heavy, am I Papa?" she teased, giving Martin a quick kiss on the cheek and making Ali giggle. "Light as a feather," Martin told her, a slight blush on his cheeks. "I knew I loved you," Abby winked, giving his neck a tight squeeze. "Hey, Tink," Hank called from the kitchen. "Grace has your seat at the kiddie table ready!" "Excuse me, Papa," Abby said, slipping off his knee. "I have to go kick some Bennett ass." "Mommy!" Ali gasped, while Martin turned as red as a tomato, laughing.  
  
"She's not sitting with me," MJ scowled blackly, yanking Joshua down in the seat beside him. "You can sit by me, Abby," Cristian offered politely. Abby beamed at the youngster, leaning down to place a noisy kiss on the top of his dark head. "What a gentleman you are, Cristian. Unlike some people we know," she ragged her favorite Demon Seed. Jake just rolled his eyes and called Max over. Why did Aunt Grace have to be the one to fix his plate, he wondered. Sara pushed the plate Grace handed her back. "No!" she protested with wide brown eyes. "But Sara," Grace refused to be disappointed. "I made it especially for you." "I'm not eating it," Sara crossed her arms over her chest and glared back at her. "I'm not."  
  
"Sara Bennett," Gwen warned. "NO!" Sara yelled. "Aunt Grace's food is gr-- - " "Great!" Gwen cut her off with a look only a mother could give. "Sara thinks your food is delicious, Grace. She just wants to let Emmy go first this time." "How sweet," Grace cooed. Patting Emily's soft cheek. Emily smiled at her, her brown eyes sleepy. "Thank you," she said, taking the plate from Grace and sitting down beside Jake. Jake watched in wonderment as his little sister starting eating. Without making a face! When it came to Aunt Grace's cooking, Emily had more guts than the rest of the family. Jake looked around the crowd of people. Where was Ali?  
  
Nick rubbed an affectionate hand across the top of Ali's golden head and stood up from his kneeling position on the floor. "I think being home agrees with you," he smiled at her, earning himself a cute little grin in return. "Ali! Ali, where are you?" Ali's blue eyes lit up when she recognized Jake's voice. "Grandpa Martin?" "Hurry. Jake's waiting for you," Martin shooed his granddaughter toward the kitchen. Ali scampered off, long blond hair flying behind her, ducking beneath Abby's arm. Nick chuckled at Abby's wide-eyed, mischievous expression when her hazel eyes finally saw the mistletoe in the doorway to the kitchen. He laughed out loud when she grabbed the nearest male and pulled him to her.  
  
Ethan blushed a deep red, stumbling and nearly falling over Beth when Abby released him. "Uh.uh.uh." "I have that effect on lots of men," Abby kidded Ivy as she brushed past. "Finally," a voice muttered, and Nick turned around to find Kay Bennett looking at him strangely. Something about those brown Bennett eyes.they unnerved him. "Bored yet?" she asked, sweeping by him to drag Miguel toward the kitchen. "Not yet," Nick answered her. "Make yourself at home," Martin encouraged, getting up from the sofa and walking toward the kitchen. Nick saw that Abby's lips were glued to a young man, Chad he thought it was, and decided the coast was clear.  
  
Eve waited outside the bathroom patiently, knowledge and understanding in her eyes when Sheridan opened the door. Pale-faced and apologetic. "You know?" Sheridan asked sheepishly. Eve laughed softly and nodded her head. "At first we thought it was.you know what we thought it was," Eve left the rest of the thought unspoken. "I think it was Luis and the crackers that gave it away though." Sheridan smiled as she thought of her husband. "He's so sweet, isn't he?" Eve wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed. "I feel like he's always helping me through something. It's not quite fair to him, is it?"  
  
"You help each other," Eve corrected. "I think that's part of the reason you're so good for each other. It's what's going to get you through this," Eve said with conviction. And she didn't have to say anything else. Ali's cancer, the new baby, just everyday things they'd taken for granted before.Sheridan understood exactly what she meant. Sheridan sighed, finally letting herself relax. "How am I going to step foot into that kitchen?" Eve gave her an encouraging smile. "Pilar and I have been thinking about that, and we."  
  
"Sam?" Luis smirked as he neared his friend, sitting in a relatively quiet corner of the living room by himself. "Are you actually talking to that damn cat?" Sam tried to laugh Luis's question off like it was ridiculous, but it didn't work. "I'm trying to help you out here, Luis." "How so?" Luis asked, intrigued, taking a seat beside Sam and resting his plate of food on his knees. "Who's to say this stuff isn't toxic to animals?" he nodded to a green glop on his own plate. "It's given me enough indigestion through the years. No one will ever be the wiser. It'll just be between the two of us." "Can't do it, Man," Luis slapped Sam on the back. "There's one thing the pain in the ass isn't, and that's stupid."  
  
MJ grinned devilishly at his grandmother as he tossed pieces of some sort of questionable meat to Max. Jake snickered. Sometimes Aunt Grace was SO clueless. "Ali? Something wrong?" he asked, when he noticed Ali had barely picked over her food next to him. "I'm not really hungry," Ali said softly. "But I don't want Nana to know. She'll tell Mommy, and Mommy'll worry." "Here," Jake said, grabbing Ali's plate and pushing the food from her plate onto his own. "There. Now nobody'll say anything," he grinned at her. "Want more, Emmy?" Emmy's head bobbed sleepily against her hand, and she mumbled, "Yeah." Ali gasped and Jake burst into laughter when Emily's hand slipped, and she fell face first into her heaping plate. "Sheesh, Babe," Hank shook his head as he lifted his daughter into his arms. "You don't have to resort to drugging the kids," he teased. Gwen rolled her brown eyes at him, wiping Emily's face clean with a dish towel Theresa helpfully provided.  
  
Chad and Ethan had searched high and low and finally found the only place not sporting a sprig of mistletoe near. Beth had to laugh at them. They were being such babies. Scared? Of a petite, tawny-haired sprite with perpetually sparkling hazel eyes? Where was Abby anyway? Her dark eyes scanned the crowded living room for Ali's Dr. Nick, knowing Abby was sure to be close by. She sighed upon spotting Nick, wearing an expression very familiar to her. He was sneaking glances at Sheridan where she sat beside Eve, looking at her very much the same way she used to look at Luis when he wasn't looking. Surely, he had to know he didn't stand a chance. She could give him thousands of reasons why, but number one on the list.Sheridan and Luis loved no one else the way they loved each other, and it was plainly obvious.  
  
"Mommy!" Cristian's yell from the kitchen had everyone running, and Sheridan pushed past Theresa and Grace to see what had caused all the commotion. Jake was holding Ali's hand, standing away from the kitchen table the children all shared, and Sara and MJ looked guilty as hell. "What's going on here? Cristian?" Sheridan ran her hands over his panicked little features, calming him with her touch immediately. "It's Max," Cristian pointed to the puppy, whining in between reflexive gagging, beneath the table. Joshua climbed down from his chair and ran toward Grace, arms open.  
  
"Okay," Abby stood with her hands on her hips. "Who did it? I want hands." No hands raised, but all fingers pointed to Sara and MJ. "We didn't do it," MJ grumbled, for once not liking being the center of attention. "It was Aunt Grace," Sara declared bravely, making Hank and Gwen choke simultaneously. "Aunt Grace's yucky food killed Max!" "You're the one that fed it to him, Stupid," Jake pushed Sara's brown head forward. "Jake!" Gwen scolded, stalking forward and grabbing her mouthy daughter just before WWIII broke out. "Don't call your sister stupid." "Sorry," Jake muttered, clutching Ali's hand tighter as the puppy started gagging again. "He'll be okay, Ali. You'll see." "Told you," Kay smirked at Nick. "These parties are never boring." Nick watched Luis pull the exhausted golden retriever out from under the table, and Cristian hug its neck gratefully. "Definitely not boring," he agreed.  
  
Max lived, Grace was finally consoled, and gifts were exchanged. T.C. and Simone finally arrived. Emily slept through it all. All the excitement of the family and friends finding out Sheridan and Luis were expecting again. Abby kissing every male in the Lopez-Fitzgerald home. Except Nick who somehow managed to escape. Oh well, Kay thought. There was always New Year's. She didn't how she'd do it, but she'd make damn sure Abby was in Nick's arms come the stroke of midnight. Reluctant goodbye's were said, and everyone left for their own homes. Promising that next year would be even better. It was already a sure thing, Kay smiled to herself as Miguel opened the passenger side door for her and hurried around to the other side. Sheridan and Luis and Ali and Cristian grew smaller and smaller as Miguel followed Martin and Pilar out of the driveway.  
  
"Mom, where's the party next year?" MJ yelled from the back seat. "Ivy's house." "Cool," MJ voiced his approval. "But that's a whole year from now, MJ," Miguel reminded him. "We'll have New Year's, Valentine's Day, yours and Joshua's birthdays." "Ali and Cristian will have a new baby brother or sister," Kay added. "It's today that counts," Miguel said, and Kay started laughing. "What?" Miguel asked. "You said something smart, Dad." Kay could see MJ rolling his dark eyes in the rear view mirror. "I can be smart when I want to be," Miguel grinned, not missing out on the fun. Even though it was at his expense. "Next year will be better though," Kay smiled back at him, giving his knee a squeeze. And as the miles to their own home passed by them in a blur, Kay heard her husband whisper, "I can't wait."  
  
  
  
Chapter 30  
  
  
  
"Wake up! Get your ass out of bed so I can wish you Merry Christmas!" Nick's gray eyes popped open, searching for the owner of that voice. He arched a dark brow, throwing the comforter back and climbing out of bed. He didn't bother with a shirt since, apparently, he had NO clean shirts. Where the hell were all his clothes? "I said wake up!" he heard Abby's shout again. She wasn't.she couldn't be talking to him. Could she? He eased his bedroom door open the slightest of fractions, and almost laughed in relief when he saw Abby sprawled on the sofa, feet in the air, phone to her ear. "Shhhhhhaaaaannnnneeeeee! Oh, Shhhhhaaaannnnne. Don't make me fly all the way to New York," she singsonged.  
  
Nick leaned against the doorway, arms crossed against his bare chest as he watched her. Smiling, of course. "That's it! I'm on the next flight.I KNEW that'd get you.tell me.did Santa bring you everything you wanted this year?" Nick listened to her end of the conversation silently, finding it hard to contain his laughter during several points. An amused chuckle DID escape when he cleared his throat to get her attention as the call was drawing to an end, surprising her so much, she fell off the sofa onto the floor with a loud thud..  
  
"SHIT! No, not you.it was.Nick's awake..my roommate." she offered by way of explanation. "NO! We're not sleeping together.don't pull that protective big brother crap on me, Shane.I'm not living in sin with my latest lover," she grumbled into the phone with an unconscious roll of her hazel eyes. "No, I don't.No. No. NO! Drop it, okay? I'm hang.I'm hanging.MERRY CHRISTMAS, DAMMIT!" she screamed into the receiver, jabbing the OFF button. "Merry Christmas," she said with a sheepish smile. "Big brothers.royal pains in the ass. Do you have somebody you need to call?" she asked, offering him the phone. He took her hand instead, hauling her to her feet.  
  
"Nobody," he told her, unable to resist the urge to grin at her. "So that's the norm for loving siblings these days." "Not really," she said. "The Stones are unique." "I'm beginning to figure that out," he laughed. Especially when she seemed to realize at that exact moment that he was standing before her barely clothed, just inches away. Her face flushed, and those eyes he was quickly growing a soft spot for shied away, and she had to make a physical effort to shut her gaping mouth. "Um.um, I had no clue what to get you," she babbled nervously, brushing past him to crouch in front of the twinkling Christmas tree and pulling a small, rectangular box out front under it. "Here," she said, thrusting the box at him. "And in case you didn't notice." "You did my laundry," he realized. "That's just a Christmas thing," she told him. "Aren't you going to open."  
  
"Abby, you didn't have to." "I know I didn't have to," she rolled her eyes at him. "Obviously, you don't know me very well. I LOVE giving gifts. I gave the homeless man on the street corner.you know what? It doesn't matter if you got me anything or not," she finished with a bright smile. "We haven't known each other long at all." "Abby, I'm sorry." "Nothing to be sorry about," she waved him off with a laugh. "What do you like for breakfast?" "W-W-What?" she blinked. "The least I could do is make you breakfast." "I'm flexible," Abby smiled. "Open it," she urged. For a moment, Nick thought she was going to grab the box out of his hands and rip the paper and ribbon off herself in her impatience. "Tickets to the Seascape New Year's celebration?" "You take such good care of Ali, and you deserve a break. This way you can go to THE party on New Year's and meet more people in Harmony." "There's two tickets." "Take anybody. Don't take anybody. Your choice." "Thanks," he smiled at her, laying the box down on the sofa. Nick could swear he felt her knees buckle and hear a faint moan escape her lips when he wrapped his arms around her slight form in an awkward hug. "I'm hungry, what about you?" "God yes," Abby moaned in a voice so low Nick had to wonder if he'd heard her correctly. By some miracle she remained standing when Nick released her. Oh if he only knew. Damn, he smelled fantastic. "That's right! Breakfast!" she exclaimed, trying to cover up her faux pas.  
  
Keep the shirt off, keep the shirt off, keep the shirt off, she chanted silently in her head as she watched the muscles in his back flex and relax as he grabbed some plates. She whirled around on her heel when she realized she was no longer salivating over the back she could so imagine raking her nails over while he.uh.no longer drooling over his back, but his abs. Her hazel eyes traveled up the length of his chest, past the sparse dark hair, and she prayed for the ground to open and swallow her right up the moment her eyes connected with his gray eyes. Dammit! Apparently, she was as physically attractive to the man as Janet Reno in an evening gown. Her chest was heaving, and his eyes were laughing at her. She crossed her arms over her chest self-consciously, hoping against hope.oh hell, she thought, escaping to the relative safety of the living room before she mauled him and made that laughter disappear. Like it wasn't obvious! She might as well wear a tee-shirt that said, "Take me, please." That's it, she thought, collapsing to the sofa when she caught a view of his backside as he leaned down to grab something out of the bottom of the refrigerator. She was going to die. Keel over from the stress of controlling her hormones around this man, and the autopsy report was going to read. "Cause of death.unbearable sexual frustration." Either that or she was going to drown in her own saliva. She wondered.could she be more pathetic? 


	7. Chapter 31

Chapter 31  
  
  
  
"Clothes," Jake grumbled, his top lip furling up in disgust. "Santa," he growled, looking pointedly at his mom-AND his dad. "Santa KNOWS I don't like getting clothes for Christmas." "Me neither," Sara scowled. "I HATE dresses!" "I LOVE my dress," Emily smiled, twirling the skirt of her pretty white dress around. Sara and Jake simultaneously rolled their brown eyes, causing Hank and Gwen to burst into laughter. "What about the new bikes?" Jake shrugged his slim shoulders. "The bike's okay, I guess." "Santa got me a girlie bike!" Sara stomped her foot, her tangled brown hair falling forward into her face. She shoved it behind her ear in annoyance. "Well, Sar." Hank knelt before his irate female double. "You see.Santa was under the assumption that you ARE a girl." "Funny, Dad," Sara muttered. Hank looked to Gwen in near-exasperation, and she only shook her head. "Like father, like daughter."  
  
"Jake, don't you like your video games?" "Some of them are pretty cool," Jake conceded. "But Barbie, Mom?" he whined. "Give me that," Gwen snatched the game from his hands and dropped it into Emily's lap. "Look, Emmy. You forgot a present." "Oh Mommy!" Emily exclaimed, throwing her arms around Gwen's neck excitedly. "I can't wait to play it." "Oh great," Jake muttered under his breath, tilting his mop of brown curls to the side and staring up at his dad. "You don't look so good, Dad. Sure you're feeling alright?" "Me? I don't know. I can't say if it's sympathy pains for Ole Saint Nick or my stomach's protest against going to your grandma's for Christmas dinner later." Gwen turned to face them with a smirk, Emily perched on her hip. "Poor Santa," she said teasingly. "Yeah," Sara's brown eyes grew wide. "He ate ALL Aunt Grace's cookies." "All of them?" Emily asked. "All of them," Hank groaned, giving his stomach an imperceptible rub. "Good thing Aunt Grace and Uncle Sam are in Chicago visiting Jessica and Reese and the kids." "She'd make us more," Sara shuddered. Gwen bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I was going to say her feelings would be hurt." "Babe," Hank groaned, plopping down on the sofa in a tangle of exhausted limbs. "Let's just count our blessings."  
  
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"Did you like the presents Santa brought you, AliCat?" Luis questioned his little daughter, who was currently tucked safely beneath his chin. "Uh huh," Ali murmured, making her golden head bob up and down slowly. Luis smiled and placed a kiss atop her head. "Tired?" He could see Ali's pale lashes fluttering against her cheeks, and he could tell each response was taking more and more effort. "A little," Ali admitted, and he could feel each soft breath she took against his neck. "Go to sleep, AliCat," he whispered, relaxing against the couch's cushions more fully and bringing her slight little body back with him. "But Mommy's picture." "Mommy'll understand," he promised her. "Shh.we'll paint Mommy's picture later." "Daddy?" "Yeah?" he murmured, taking Ali's much smaller hand in his own and rubbing his thumb up and down the lines of her palm. ".best Christmas." "I agree, AliCat. I agree," he smiled almost bittersweetly, looking to his wife standing a few feet from them, Ali's special memory book clasped against her chest.  
  
"She didn't last much longer than Cristian," Sheridan smiled, combing Ali's sweet-smelling blond locks back from her face. Luis arched an amused dark brow at her. "About 30 minutes ago," she answered him before he could ask the question. "That's what getting up HOURS," Luis paused, stressing the significance of the notion of hours, "before dawn does for you." "Was it really 4:30?" Sheridan laughed. "I think it was closer to 5:00, really. But it felt like 3:00." "Luis!" she gave his shoulder a playful shove. "You're just saying that because you were up putting." Luis clamped his free hand over her mouth, averting his dark eyes to their sleeping daughter nestled in his arms. Sheridan's blue eyes twinkled down at him, and as soon as he removed his hand, she leaned down to press her lips softly against his. Then brushed them across Ali's forehead. "You like your present, Mommy?" Luis teased, glancing at the leather-bound book in his wife's lap. Sheridan smoothed her hands over the front cover, tearing up at the words inscribed there. "Love, Ali." "Ali did this all by herself?" Luis grinned. "Oh, she had a little help," he revealed. "I think, in the end, it turned into a community project."  
  
Sheridan opened the book slowly, reading the words on the front page aloud, "Once Upon a Time.I bet you were a lady killer even then," she turned to him with a smile, and Luis laughed at the baby picture he was sure Theresa had chosen. He was just thankful he wasn't nude. "You bet," he said, winking. "And look at you.the second most beautiful little girl I've ever seen." "Second, huh?" she said, trying her best not to smile. "AliCat holds that title." Ali stirred in Luis's arms as if she knew her parents were talking about her. "Better watch it," Sheridan warned. "I agree, by the way," she said softly, flipping forward a few pages and coming to one in particular. "Was this really the first time we met?" she asked, laughing when she recognized herself as a very small child at Ivy and Julian's wedding. "Cristian looks just like you." "I'm not sure," Luis admitted sheepishly as she showed him the picture. "Cristian's way better looking." "You? Modest? No way," Sheridan said, rolling her blue eyes at him goodnaturedly. She burst into laughter, almost waking Ali when she flipped through several pages, coming to one that had a little police car cutout on one side and a cutout of her car on the other. Their heads had been cut from other pictures and pasted inside the cars, and the page read "Two Stubborn Hearts Collide." Sheridan knew Theresa's work when she saw it. All she could do was laugh and continue to look through the book, reliving all the key moments in their lives together, smiling and sniffling over Ali's baby pictures, then Cristian's, and sighing shakily when she came to the last used page. She read Ali's childish scrawl with tears streaming down her cheeks at all the love and all the hope, promising they'd fill the rest of the book's pages with their future. Luis's own eyes were wet as he slid his arm around her and held her and their daughter close.  
  
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"Hey Becs! Where's my present?" Hank demanded to know as soon as Rebecca answered the door. "Mother," Gwen's brown eyes widened with shock. "You answered the door." "Yes, Gwen. I did," Rebecca rolled her blue eyes at her. "You don't actually think I bought you anything, do you?" she told Hank, helping Gwen usher the children inside. Sara started stripping her parka and multitude of scarves off. Jake just wandered inside. "Where's Grandpa?" Emily giggled and grinned at Rebecca. "You look like Santa's wife, Grandma." "Oh dear God," Gwen muttered under her breath. Just KNOWING her mother would have a conniption. She nearly keeled over when she smiled instead and enfolded Emily in a hug. Hank smirked when Emmy's little face seemed to get lost in his mother-in-law's bosoms. "Wearing that wonder bra, Becs? C'mon. You know that's your favorite present anyone's ever gotten you." Gwen groaned. Hank just LOVED to pull Mother's chain. This day already had the potential to be HELL. She didn't want to crank it up a notch so early in the game. "Bennett," she hissed. "Behave," she warned, wagging a finger beneath Hank's nose. Hank's brown eyes twinkled devilishly as he said, "Scout's honor, Babe. Best behavior," he added, smirking at Rebecca who just smirked back.  
  
"MOM!!!" three voices she knew entirely too well at that particular decibel rang out, and Gwen hurried into the living room. "What's going on? Daddy?" she looked to her father for answers. Jonathan just chuckled and deferred to his wife. "Mother." "I finally found the perfect gift for my wonderful swine of a son-in-law," Rebecca announced. Hank pretended to blush, stepping forward as if to give her a hug. "Becs.you didn't have to." "Jacob, introduce your father to Junior." "Junior?" Hank nearly choked when Jake held up a squirming Pug puppy. "Aww, Mommy," Emily smiled, instantly in love. "Can we keep him?" Jake thrust the puppy into his father's hands, awaiting the final verdict. The tiny Pug licked frantically at Hank's face and neck, and Rebecca couldn't resist comment. "I think there's an amazing family resemblance." Jonathan and Gwen laughed as Hank glowered at Rebecca. "Becs, you shouldn't have." He grimaced, feeling something warm and wet trickle down his chest, and he glanced down to see his brand-new shirt drenched in puppy piss. Jake and Sara snickered evilly as Rebecca smiled triumphantly. "You really shouldn't have."  
  
  
  
Chapter 32  
  
  
  
"Are you excited, Ali?" Theresa quizzed her little niece. Ali beamed up at her, nodding her head. "Her first shopping trip as one of the girls," Sheridan smiled into the rear view mirror as the navigated the SUV through the streets of downtown Harmony. All the Christmas decorations were still up, reminding Sheridan that even though they had waited a couple of days to avoid the chaos that was day after Christmas madness.it was still going to be quite.crowded. "Why didn't Emily and Sara get to come?" Ali asked. Gwen turned around in the front passenger seat to face Ali. Sheridan smirked when she said something along the lines of Sara absolutely HATING to shop, and Emily already LOVING it so much that Hank ragged her about outing her as a mini shop-a-holic sometime soon. "Besides," Gwen told Ali. "There's not enough room in this thing for ALL of us. Sara'd really hate having Abby sit in her lap." Theresa giggled. Abby'd definitely do it. For laughs, of course. That's why Whitney and Simone are meeting us at the mall," Theresa explained. Ali's forehead wrinkled up in concentration as she tried to remember what Whitney looked like. It'd been so long since she'd seen her. "There's a lot of people going on this trip," she whispered in awe. Sheridan, Gwen, and Theresa burst into laughter. "You know what, Sweetie?" Sheridan said, turning down Abby's street. "I hadn't thought about it, but you're absolutely right." They pulled into the parking lot to Abby's building just seconds later. "Who wants to come with me to get Abby?" Sheridan asked, turning off the SUV's ignition. "I want to come," Ali grinned, fumbling with her seat belt. She finally got it undone thanks to Theresa, and Theresa climbed out of the car with her so she wouldn't have to crawl over her lap. "What?" Gwen shrugged as she pushed the passenger door open. "I'm not going to be the only one sitting out here. Anyway." she grinned wickedly. "Isn't that Dr. Nick's car? Abby may need physical help to actually move."  
  
They bypassed the stairs in favor of the elevator, mindful of not wearing Ali out before the REAL strenuous exercise began. : ) Ali was the first one out of the doors, racing down the hall. "Does she even know which one is Abby's?" Theresa inquired. "No," Sheridan shook her head with a smile. "But Ali's got those infamous Lopez-Fitzgerald instincts," Gwen cracked as they neared the little girl. Theresa's brown eyes widened in amazement, and she started laughing when Sheridan confirmed Ali'd found the right apartment. Loud, pulsing rock music was practically vibrating the walls outside. "Somehow I didn't take Abby for a rocker," Gwen mused sarcastically. "Abby's got eclectic taste," Sheridan laughed. "Loud is the key." "Aha," Gwen nodded in understanding. "Do you think there's any way in hell they're going to hear us if we knock?" Sheridan shrugged her shoulders and rapped her knuckles against the door, and Gwen, Theresa, and Ali waited patiently for it to open. Finally Sheridan tried the knob, and it turned easily. Their calls of "Abby" were drowned out by the din of the blaring music.  
  
Theresa pointed Abby out, hanging onto the wall beside her for dear life, and Gwen snorted when Ali scampered over to Abby, tugging on her sweater sleeve and making her jump sky high in surprise. "Sh-AliCat!" Abby censored herself, a genuine smile lighting up her face when she looked into Ali's happily sparkling blue eyes. "We knocked," Sheridan said, coming to a stop beside Abby. "I didn't hear," Abby muttered absently, her gaze drifting off to something.someone.else. "We gathered that," Gwen teased. "What is it now? Theresa? Are you okay?" Gwen waved a hand in front of Theresa's dazed face. "Eww," Ali's nose scrunched up. "Dr. Nick's all sweaty." "Ali!" Sheridan scolded. "Blasphemy! Dear Ali.eww? Eww? Are you out of your pretty little mind? Not eww, AliCat," Abby corrected her, swooning over Dr. Nick's sweaty male form as he landed punch after well- placed punch on the newest addition to the apartment's décor. "Definitely not eww," Gwen agreed, joining Theresa and Abby in the zombie-like states.  
  
"Good morning, Ladies," Nick grinned, wiping the sweat from his body with a towel. "Good morning, Dr. Nick," Ali replied sweetly. Three of the women behind her rendered speechless. "What's my favorite little patient up to today?" "Shopping," Sheridan answered for her daughter. "Yeah," Ali said excitedly. "There's the cutest little hat I want to show Ali," Sheridan told Nick quietly. Understanding registered in Nick's gray eyes, and he smiled down at the little girl in front of him. "We're not going just to look at hats," Ali rolled her blue eyes, giggling. "Mommy's going to get a dress for the New Year's party. She wants to look beautiful for Daddy." "Your mommy doesn't need a pretty dress for that," Nick said softly. His comment finally spurred Gwen and Theresa to action. "Sheridan.I think we should go. Whitney and Simone are probably already at the mall waiting on us," Theresa said. "You're right, Theresa. Come on, Abby," Gwen pulled on Abby's sleeve. "Abby," she hissed, yanking harder. "Damn," Abby grumbled. "You don't have to rip my arm off." "Bye, Dr. Nick!" Ali waved as the group walked toward the door. Nick chuckled as the door shut behind them.  
  
"Finally," Whitney teased, accepting Theresa's exuberant embrace. "I thought you were never going to get here." "My fault," Abby held a hand up. "Hi. I'm not sure we've been introduced." "Abby?" Whitney smiled. "How did you know?" "Simone told me all about you." "Oh really?" Abby arched a tawny brow at Simone. "Good things, Little Russell? They better have been." Simone grinned at her, waving at Ali by Sheridan's side. "Miss Ali.you look so pretty today." "Thank you," Ali said somewhat bashfully, her cheeks turning as pink as the turtleneck she wore. "Who's ready to shop?" Gwen asked, fitting her hand in Ali's free one. "These golden opportunities are few and far between." "You go on ahead," Theresa urged them, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Whitney and I have a lot to catch up on." "That's an understatement," Simone muttered, catching up with Abby and the other two women. "Where to first?" Simone asked. "I think we should let Ali pick," she smiled. "She is our special guest and all." Ali's mouth opened in a pleased 'O'. "I get to pick? Mommy," she giggled. Her face brightening up with a mega-watt smile. "Uh oh," Gwen said. "I know that look! It's a Jake look!" "No, it's not," Ali denied, giggling some more. "I don't know, AliCat," Abby tickled her sides, causing her to scoot forward out of her reach. "Looks an awful lot like a Bennett bright idea to me." "Whatever," Ali did a perfect imitation of Alicia Silverstone in a certain little film. "Oh my.sweet little AliCat giving me attitude?" Abby held a hand to her heart. Winking at Sheridan and Gwen. "I thought your mommy told you not to sneak and watch Clueless again. Come on. I know you're Princess Ali and all, but isn't that movie PG-13? You're not a little teenager in disguise. As if!" Abby threw up her hands, drawing a lot of unwanted stares and causing the trio of women plus one little girl with her to laugh out loud. "Cute," Sheridan shook her head. "Ali? Your pick." "The toy store!" Ali squealed excitedly, hurrying ahead of them. "Ali! Ali, wait for us," Sheridan called in a panicked voice. "Sheridan," Gwen squeezed Sheridan's shoulders reassuringly. Knowing this particular toy store had bad memories associated with it. Memories of Ali's kidnapping. "It's not going to happen again. None of us are going to let her out of our sight." "Thanks, Gwen," Sheridan whispered gratefully.  
  
"I can't believe it, Whit," Theresa said as she flipped through the rack of clothes in front of her, pausing to admire a few trendy pieces. "Medical school. I always thought tennis. Or music.I never knew." "Neither did I," Whitney told her, holding up a purple sweater with brightly colored geometric designs on it. "It took me a really long time to make a decision. What do you think? Simone or not?" "Your mom must be so proud.the whole following in her footsteps thing.sort of," Theresa trailed off awkwardly. "Whitney, I'm sorry. I know there's a lot of hard feelings, and." "Theresa," Whitney stopped her with a friendly hand on her arm. "Ancient history." "Whitney!" Theresa exclaimed. "Does that mean." "I'm not completely over all the lies, and finding out my mom wasn't the woman I thought she was, but.life's short, Theresa. I realize that now. I can't let the past get in the way, or I'll never be happy." "I'm so glad to hear you say that. Whitney.there's something I have to tell you." "Go ahead," Whitney encouraged her, tucking the sweater under her arm. It was a definite maybe. "Theresa," Whitney prodded. "I'm your best friend. Don't look so afraid. We're adults now. Remember?" Theresa giggled and flipped her long dark hair back off her shoulders. "Sometimes I have trouble with that," she said teasingly. "Especially around Christmas. Living in the same house as Mama and Papa doesn't help." "You're still at home?" Whitney's voice was disbelieving. "Maybe not for long," Theresa divulged. "Are you going to tell me or not?" Whitney laughed as Theresa wrung her hands nervously. "Chad asked me to move in with him," Theresa announced in a jumbled rush of words, stunning Whitney speechless.  
  
"Abby," Gwen's hand darted out to grab the bag Abby was holding. "What do you have in the bag?" "Nothing," Abby pretended to be nonchalant. "It's that green squooshy stuff," Ali tattled. "AliCat!" Abby pretended to be hurt as she thrust the bag into Simone's hands. "A little birdie told me the Bennetts younger ran out, and I thought I'd get them a new supply," Abby grinned at Gwen's totally motherly 'you're not getting THAT' look. "Come on, Gwen. It's just Gunk or Gak.what the hell was that stuff called again?" "Jake and Sara love to terrorize Emmy with it," Gwen said. "Is that.do I hear whining? Simone? AliCat? Do you hear it, too?" Ali giggled, clasping Simone's hand with her smaller one. "Where's Mommy?" "Right here." Sheridan's voice had them all turning around, and they studied the bag in her hands curiously. "My nosy friends," Sheridan just smiled. "Sheridan," Abby singsonged, making a royal nuisance of herself and sidling up next to Sheridan. "What's in the bag?" "Nothing," Sheridan smirked. "Do I have to go all psycho on you and do the puppy pout?" Abby asked, sticking her bottom lip ridiculously far out. "All right," Sheridan relented, laughing. "It's just something I thought would be cute for the baby." Abby dug a Pooh Bear out of the bag. "Pooh! Pooh? Pooh's SO over- rated. Tigger, Sheridan. Tigger's much cooler. Pooh sounds like a wheezy old man," Abby continued, hazel eyes twinkling humorously. "Mommy!" Ali gasped. "Yes, Ali?" Sheridan stopped in her tracks to address her little daughter. "He does! He does! Pooh sounds like Mr. Joe at church!" "I always thought Mr. Joe sounded familiar," Gwen said seriously. Her brown eyes were dancing though as she took the bear from Abby, putting it back into the bag. "Oh look, Ali!" Abby bent at the waist, pointing out the merry-go-round to the little girl. "Mommy, can I.may I ride?" "You can, but you have to." Sheridan began, searching through her purse for the appropriate bills. Abby pushed her money away. "I got it. And don't worry about AliCat," she winked at them. "Gives me the perfect excuse to ride it myself. Want to come, Simone?" "I don't think so," Simone held up her hands. "Aww. Too chicken to make a fool out of yourself sometimes? Too bad Aunt Kay's in Chicago, huh Ali?" "Kay rode the merry-go-round?" Simone's questions fell on deaf ears, and Gwen pulled Sheridan around the corner into Victoria's Secret while the trio took their place in line.  
  
"I wonder where they're at?" Whitney mused aloud. "Whitney," Theresa fell into step beside her. "You haven't said anything. Did I make you uncomfortable?" Whitney sighed, walking into a women's clothing store. Theresa following her. "Theresa.Chad.there's always going to be a bit of discomfort involved where he's concerned. "I mean.before I found out he was my.Mom's son.I." Theresa stopped her with a hand on her arm. "You don't have to explain, Whit. You're my best friend, though. I thought you should know. I hate that things are so awkward, but I understand." Whitney accepted Theresa's offered hug, smiling as she pulled back. "What do your parents say?" "Mama and Papa love Chad," Theresa said brightly. "He's one of the good Cranes. Like Sheridan," she babbled. "Theresa." "Whitney." Theresa echoed her, using her own name. "You haven't told them. Theresa, what are they going to think? Your parents believe in marriage first." "Luis lived with Sheridan," Theresa interjected. "Yes," Whitney conceded. "But he was her bodyguard. The situations were a little different." "Luis was in love with her, Whit." "Wow," Whitney breathed, going completely still and looking into Theresa's shining brown eyes. "You love him, don't you? You really.Theresa. When did this happen? How?" "It just kind of.snuck up on me," Theresa shrugged with a smile on her lips. "I was so sure I would spend the rest of my life getting over Ethan, I didn't pay attention to the little things, and then one day.BAM! I realized how happy I was. And Ethan doesn't even figure into the equation. My life is really my life now, Whitney. Mama and Papa may not agree, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let their feelings make my choice for me. Whitney, you're right," Theresa suddenly declared. "We really are adults." Whitney giggled and looped her arm around Theresa's waist, steering her out of the shop. "It's getting close to lunch time. Aren't we supposed to meet them at the food court.," Whitney paused to glance at her watch, "ten minutes ago!"  
  
"Hot damn," Abby swore under her breath as she pulled the hot little red number out of the Victoria's Secret bag beside Sheridan's chair. "Abby," Sheridan hissed. Stuffing the lingerie back into the bag and arching a warning brow at Ali across the table. "Somebody's going to be very happy tonight," Abby teased mercilessly. Delighted when Sheridan turned a very becoming shade of red to match the slinky piece she'd just re-hidden from Ali's innocent eyes. "Let me see yours," Abby grinned, yanking Gwen's identical bag from her hands. She brought her soda straw to her lips absently and took a sip as she pulled the silky material free. Simone grimaced as soda spewed from Abby's astonished mouth and splattered her in the face. "Holy shit! You're going to give Bennett a heart attack!" "Mommy?" Ali's sweet voice brimmed with curiosity. Gwen grinned, slapping Abby on the back since she seemed to be choking on her own tongue. "That's not all," she revealed. Pulling out a leopard print lingerie set from the bag. "Given your propensity to wander around your apartment barely clothed.Sheridan and I thought you needed something special to entice the drool-worthy Doctor to act." Sheridan bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. She'd never heard Gwen talk the way she was talking now, and Abby looked seconds away from heart failure herself. Her hazel eyes as wide as saucers. Simone, fast thinker that she was, quickly covered Ali's confused blue eyes. "Thongs! No way am I wearing a string up my." "Um.sorry we're late," Theresa offered weakly. Whitney ducked her head in embarrassment. "What is that thing? A water bra? What happens if he.you know," Abby stammered, obviously getting all flustered just thinking about it. "I can see it now. One of my breasts springs a leak just as we're getting VA-VA-VA-VOOM, and it's all over the 11:00 news. Psycho Physical Therapist's Attempts on Sexy as Hell Oncologist's Life Continue.the latest at seven after the hour.Um.no thanks," Abby shuddered. "I think I'd have better luck 'accidentally' catching him naked in the shower," she rolled her hazel eyes. That did it. Sheridan could no longer hold it in, bursting into helpless laughter. Gwen and the rest of the women joining her a second later. Ali ducked her pretty little head in mortified silence. WHAT was so funny?  
  
  
  
Chapter 33  
  
  
  
"So." Sheridan said teasingly as Gwen rifled through the infinite number of dog collars, looking for the PERFECT one. "How's Hank getting along with his new best friend?" "Fine, considering he's woken up the past couple days with the mutt sharing his pillow," Gwen smirked. Carrying her choice of collar and a leash up to the check-out desk. "The first morning he made the near-fatal mistake of gagging at MY morning breath when all along it was the dog. Let's just say Hank and Gus have gotten VERY friendly in the short time they've known each other," Gwen laughed, handing the cashier one of her credit cards. "Gus," Sheridan smiled. "Sounds fitting. I mean with your description and all," she elaborated. "I thought Bennett was lobbying for Becky," Abby said, slipping in line behind them. "And last I heard, Sara was calling him Slobber." "Abby, you don't have a pet," Ali said, blue eyes slightly confused as she watched Abby drop an arm-load of squeeze toys onto the counter. "Why Ali! Thank you for that brilliant assumption," Abby teased the little girl at her side. "These are for the new Bennett bambino-a child only a mother could love," she grinned at Gwen. "Abby, girl," Simone laughed. "I'm beginning to think you have a problem." "Yeah," Theresa giggled. "You've bought something in EVERY store we've gone into." "Good thing I missed the Victoria's Secret excursion," Abby winked at Gwen and Sheridan over the top of Ali's golden head. "Smile, Simone's sister," Abby told Whitney with twinkling hazel eyes. "You know you want to." "She's not.she's crazy," Sheridan informed Whitney with a smile of her own. "Crazy, but generally pretty harmless." "Listen to Sheridan," Abby nodded as she tucked her bag full of goodies under her arm. "She's pretty smart. She snagged Luis, after all."  
  
The next store they went into was the standard department store, and Sheridan gently guided Ali toward the store's hat selection. "Wow Ali!" Abby exclaimed, gravitating right toward the wackiest item on the rack. "You have to get one of these. I'll get one too, and we can be twins!" "Abby," Ali giggled. "You look like the Cat in the Hat." "Thank you. Thank you very much," Abby dug out her best impersonation of Elvis, causing the rest of the women to laugh. Well.Whitney didn't laugh, but she DID crack a smile, hiding it behind her hand. "Fruitcake," Gwen elbowed Abby in the ribs. "Hey!" Abby pretended to be hurt, doubling over in false pain. "Nut! That's nut to you. Fruitcake's debatable." "Are you EVER serious for like one second?" Theresa asked. "Oh, Ali," she breathed, and everyone was momentarily distracted from her question. "You look adorable, Sweetie." Ali grinned, and her blue eyes twinkled up at her mommy. "This one, Mommy. I want this one." Sheridan gave the floppy denim bill of the hat a playful tug, her smile wavering just the tiniest bit as she patted Ali's soft cheek. "Good choice," Gwen agreed. "You know what, AliCat?" Sheridan's voice was thick as she grasped Ali's small shoulders and turned her back around. "I think you should pick out a couple more. A girl can never have enough cute hats." "Really?" Ali asked excitedly. "But you have to pick you out a pretty one too, Mommy," she said, walking back over to the racks. Whitney wrapped a supporting arm around Theresa as she moved out of Ali's sight and started to cry softly.  
  
Abby wore her new purchase around the store, drawing the stares of several young children and more than a handful of concerned parents. "They're going to call the Psych Ward on you," Gwen said, shaking her head. "Man, I wish I had some whiskers. That'd really confuse the little tykes," Abby grinned. "Theresa! Theresa," she hurried ahead and grabbed Theresa's arm. "Do you have your mascara with you?" "Is that a hypothetical question?" Sheridan wondered quietly. "Sheridan," Gwen gasped, snorting with laughter a second later. "I didn't mean that.in the way it sounded. Seriously, Gwen. Ugh! She didn't hear me, and no one's going to tell her, right?" "My lips are sealed," Gwen said, a wicked gleam in her brown eyes. "Don't you dare," Sheridan warned her. Recognizing that perhaps the mischievous little Bennett devils didn't inherit all that energy, all their hell-raiser tendencies from just one of their parents. "Relax. Take deep breaths. I'm not going to say anything," Gwen reassured her. "Oh God," Gwen groaned when Abby turned back to them, whiskers and a cute little black nose drawn on her face. Ali giggled uncontrollably, dancing on the balls of her feet. "Mommy," she gasped for breath in between giggles. "I have to pee." "I'll take her to the bathroom," Theresa offered. Sheridan hesitated to give her the go-ahead, and Theresa's face fell slightly when Sheridan grasped Ali's little hand in her own and walked forward. "We'll both go. I need a bathroom break of my own. Anybody else?" "Fine here," Simone said, and Abby, Whitney, and Gwen agreed. "We'll be knee-deep in expensive evening wear," Gwen told them. "I have to find a dress that makes it look like I actually have cleavage," Abby divulged, straight-faced. "Mommy," Ali looked up at Sheridan. "Abby's so silly. What's cleavage?"  
  
Sheridan met Theresa's dark eyes in the reflection of the bathroom mirror, and she offered her a tiny smile as Theresa repaired the damage her earlier tears had done. "I'm sorry about earlier, Theresa. It's not like I don't trust you." Theresa turned around to face Sheridan, understanding in her reddened brown eyes. "It's okay. I'm kind of glad you're so protective with her. I don't know if I trust myself, and I know I wouldn't be able to handle it if something like that ever happened again.you didn't hurt my feelings, Sheridan." "Promise?" Sheridan whispered, stepping closer to her sister-in-law to let an impatient woman pass by. "Promise," Theresa reassured her, accepting her hug with a smile. A stall at the far end of the bathroom opened, and they pulled apart, waving to Ali to get her attention before the slight panic on her face could grow into something more. Sheridan pushed the soap dispenser for her daughter, and Ali held her hands under the faucet to wash them. Squealing when icy cold water jetted out. "Mommy! It's cold!" Theresa grabbed some paper towels and rubbed Ali's freezing hands briskly. "Better?" "Lots," Ali nodded gratefully. "Do I get a pretty dress for New Year's too, Mommy?" Sheridan smiled, pulling Ali back against her body and leading them all out of the bathroom. "A new dress, huh? You know Nana and Grandpa Martin already think you're the prettiest granddaughter they have." "Mommy," Ali rolled her big blue eyes at her. "I'm the only granddaughter." "That's right," Sheridan said thoughtfully. "Ask Aunt Theresa when she's going to have us another little girl and even the ranks a little, AliCat." Ali giggled when her aunt Theresa blushed. "Are you going to marry Chad, Aunt Theresa?" "I might," Theresa admitted softly. "Good," Ali beamed. "Chad's nice. I like him, don't you, Mommy?" "Very much," Sheridan agreed. "Ali," Theresa's brown eyes sparkled with amusement. "Tell your mommy it's all up to her. The new baby has to be a girl. Aunt Theresa has to get married first, and she doesn't see that happening too soon." "Did you hear that, Mommy?" Ali tipped her head up to look at her mommy as they came to a halt just outside the bathrroms. "I heard," Sheridan smirked. "Good," Ali let out a whoosh of breath. "I already forgot most of it." "Ali!" Theresa scoffed. "I see Gwen," Ali ignored her, hurrying down the aisles. "Slow down, Ali," Sheridan called. "Be careful," Theresa added. "Not too soon, huh?" Sheridan teased Theresa. "I say you got a pretty good head start," she told her with a wink, catching up with her daughter. Theresa groaned and followed them.  
  
"Mommy," Ali chattered excitedly. "The dresses are so pretty." "Thank you, Theresa," Sheridan quipped, "for instilling the love of clothes in my daughter." "You're welcome," Theresa giggled, letting Ali tug her back toward the dressing room. "Whitney wants you to try this one on," Ali told her, pointing to a shimmering pink gown hung up outside the dressing room. "I don't know," Theresa bit her lip in contemplation. "Try it on," Ali urged. "I want to see it." Gwen emerged from the dressing room beside Theresa's in a floor-length black gown with a plunging neckline. It was simple but elegant, and Sheridan smiled her approval. "Think Bennett will like it?" "Hank loves you in everything you wear," Sheridan rolled her blue eyes at her. "It looks great on you," Simone added her two cents. "But are you sure you don't want some more color?" Gwen glanced at Sheridan out of the corner of her brown eyes. Simone's dress was a virtual rainbow of colors. "I'll look some more, but I think this is THE dress," Gwen told her. "Sheridan, you're just sitting there. Remember.you want to look beautiful for Luis." "Dr. Nick says you don't need a pretty dress for that, Mommy," Ali said. "I think Dr. Nick likes you, Mommy," she smiled innocently. "Yeah.Dr. Nick likes your mommy. A little TOO MUCH," Gwen couldn't resist saying. "Gwen," Sheridan shot a warning glance over the top of Ali's golden head. "Do you like Dr. Nick, Mommy?" Ali questioned. "Yes, I like Dr. Nick," Sheridan grabbed Ali's little hands in her own and squeezed them. "He's making you better. How can I not like him for that?" she whispered, tucking a wispy strand of Ali's long hair behind her ear. "But I LOVE your daddy, Ali," she said, smirking when three very interested women pretended not to be listening at all. "Besides.Abby's the one that REALLY, REALLY likes Dr. Nick." Ali giggled. Theresa stepped out of her dressing room, looking to the rest of them for opinions. "Where is Abby?" she wondered aloud. "Did I just hear my name?"  
  
"Damn woman," Gwen nearly choked. "And to hear you.you'd think you had the body of Olive Oil." Theresa's nose scrunched up. 'Olive Oil?' she mouthed. Sheridan shrugged her shoulders. Must have been something she picked up from Hank, maybe even Jake. "Uh huh," Simone grinned. "Going all J-Lo on us. Abby, you're in better shape than I am." "What do you think, Ali?" Abby grinned down at the awestruck little girl. "Aren't you going to be cold?" Ali asked, finally able to formulate a thought. She'd never, ever seen Abby dressed like she was now. "Turn around," Gwen ordered, eyeing the purple gown as it shimmered under the dressing room lights and seemed to change colors. "What's holding it up?" Ali wondered. "Mommy, where are the strings?" she whispered, climbing into Sheridan's lap. "Oh my god!" Simone shrieked when Abby finally completed her turn. And the dressing room they'd virtually taken over went silent, the few residents beside themselves apparently afraid for their lives. All except Whitney. She recognized her little sister's voice and came running out of her room, zipper at her back undone, flush of panic on her cheeks and everything. "You have a tattoo!" Simone exclaimed. "What?" Sheridan asked, shifting Ali off of her lap as she rose from her chair. "Yeah?" Abby rolled her hazel eyes. "Everybody take a look at the tattoo on my ass," she singsonged, knowing all ears in the dressing room were attuned to their little conversation. "Mommy!" Ali gasped, cheeks flushing scarlet. Creeping forward curiously. "It's not actually." Sheridan noted. "Lower back then," Abby corrected herself. "Sorry. Are you guys finished staring back there 'cause to someone just walking in.you think they're going to be calling the Psych Ward on me," she joked. "Actually, they're going to put us all in strait jackets," Gwen said, barely keeping a straight face. "Look at you. I can't believe you're still wearing those whiskers." "Well, I tried to wipe them off, but the label wasn't kidding when it said it was heavy duty. No wonder you like the stuff," Abby grinned at Theresa. "Huh?" Theresa wondered softly, too busy studying the sunburst design to catch on to the meaning behind Abby's statement, but Sheridan, Simone, and Gwen immediately did. Even Whitney. And all four women burst into laughter. "Yes!" Abby pumped her arm in the air, grinning wickedly at Whitney. "Beneath that prim, serious exterior lies a woman just dying to have fun." "Excuse me, Ladies," a stern voice interrupted their fun. "Is everything okay?" Abby whirled around, and the rest of the women jerked back from their observation of her tattoo in embarrassed silence. "Oh hey, Aunt Bea. Everything's puuuurrrrrfect," Abby purred. "You want to see the tattoo on my ass?" The matronly old woman looked stunned for a few seconds, then Abby's words actually sank in, and she ran off in horrified silence. "Hurry," Simone hissed, running into her dressing room and slamming the door shut. "Before she calls security."  
  
"I can't believe they believed you when you said you had a 6 o'clock audition for CATS," Sheridan laughed, bowing her head against the cold gust of wind as they walked into the parking lot, looking for her car. "I think it helped that you were half-naked at the time. The poor man couldn't do more than stammer a few words of apology in-between sneaking looks at your tattoo. Nick hasn't seen it, has he?" "Well, let's see," Abby put her finger to her chin, pretending to ponder Gwen's question as Sheridan unlocked the doors to the SUV and Theresa and Ali climbed into the back seat before her. "I'm not as bad as you guys think. I wear pjs! No, he hasn't seen the tattoo. The only time he had the chance I attacked him with pepper spray, and damn near blinded him. Nope. Can't say he has." "You're not playing your cards right, Abby. One look." "Does Bennett need to be worried?" Abby quirked a tawny brow at Gwen, grinning at Ali's clueless expression. "How long have you had it?" Theresa piped up, startling Abby. "Forever," Abby waved her off. "Forever?" Ali whispered in awe. "Yeah," Abby said, serious as she could be. She was Abby, after all. "I was born with it. Pretty birthmark, huh?" "Abby," Sheridan groaned from the driver's seat as the SUV started moving. Theresa giggled. Ali wasn't completely clueless. Extremely intelligent, in fact. But her little niece was so trusting of those around her...it was just funny sometimes. "It's not fair, is it, Ali?" Gwen turned around in the passenger seat to face the little girl. "My birthmark's not colorful like Abby's. Is yours?" Theresa giggled when she saw Sheridan rolling her blue eyes in the rear view mirror. "No," Ali replied. "How'd yours get so many colors?" she asked Abby. "My big brother Shane colored it in for me. Quite the artiste, isn't he?" Ali nodded her golden head. "I'll tell him you said so," Abby grinned, reaching in the back to grab some of her bags as the SUV neared her apartment complex. Sheridan slowed to a stop to let Abby out, apologizing for not getting to see her to the door, and Gwen, Theresa, and Ali said their goodbye's. "No problem," Abby waved, tugging what Ali had branded her 'Cat in the Hat' hat low over her forehead. "I won't hold it against you if you promise not to tell a soul about my tattoo. Think you can keep a secret from that handsome hubby of yours?" she teased Sheridan. "I'm not worried about YOU," she smirked at Gwen. "Are you implying I'm less than honest with my husband?" "Not exactly," Abby shook her head. "Sneaky. That's what you Bennetts are. Sneaky." "Takes one to know one," Gwen shot back. "Me? I'm not sneaky. I'm just your average lunatic," Abby declared humorously, struggling under the weight of her numerous purchases. "I'll be calling to find out what Lo- Fitz and Bennett thought of their presents from Victoria." "Bye, Abby!" Sheridan and Gwen chorused as Sheridan maneuvered the SUV back onto the main road. "Aunt Theresa?" "Yes, Ali?" "Who's Victoria?"  
  
  
  
Chapter 34  
  
  
  
  
  
"They're finally asleep," Luis sighed, closing the bedroom door behind him. "You said you had." Luis paused, a slow smile taking over his face as he took in the flickering candlelight and the covers turned back on the bed. ".a surprise for me," he grinned, his hands going to the bottom of his black sweater. "You always do that when you know I like to do it myself." Luis couldn't breathe, couldn't formulate a sensible thought the moment he lay eyes on the owner of that voice. "I take back what I said earlier," he finally said, his deep brown eyes never leaving her face as she crossed the bedroom, coming to a stop in front of him. "How can I say I hate shopping when you come home with." he gulped as she loosened the sash of the red silk robe wrapped around her body and let it slide from her shoulders. "That," he practically squeaked, making soft laughter spill forth from her lips. Sheridan threaded her fingers through his and brought their joined hands to her lips, brushing a gentle kiss against his palm before clasping his hand to her face. "I'm glad you like your surprise," she smiled. Luis leaned forward, kissing the smile on her beautiful face. "I love my surprise," he told her, his palm sliding around her neck to cup the base of her skull. Sheridan sighed happily as her husband placed sweet, lingering kisses on cheeks, her brow, the corners of her mouth.  
  
"Well.there's such a small window of opportunity." she stopped short on what she was about to say at the feel of his lips traveling the column of her throat. A frustrated noise escaped the back of her throat when he pulled away to gaze into her eyes with brown eyes riddled with confusion. "Window? What window? Sheridan," he laughed. "Baby, don't take this the wrong way, but I want to make love to you. Not talk about things that make no sense." Sheridan's blue eyes flashed with indignation, and she crossed her arms over her chest, sitting down on their bed and giving him a baleful look just to make it clear that whatever he said next should be carefully mulled over. He was stepping on thin ice. Yeah. She DEFINITELY took it the wrong way. Luis groaned and knelt on the floor in front of her. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her when she jerked her hand away from his. Great, he thought. He didn't think he'd be hit with the mood swings so soon. And if this wasn't a mood swing.his ass was toast. God, the woman in front of him could be stubborn. "Sheridan." "So what now, Luis? Something along the lines of children should be seen and not heard, only in the wife's case.you basically told me to shut up," she nearly growled.  
  
"I didn't mean it that.C'mon, Baby. What was it you were saying? Something about a window? I'm sorry. I'm all ears now. I love you," he told her, ducking his head to kiss the smooth skin just above her knee. When his big, dark hands started sliding up and down her thighs and around the back of her knees, she squirmed and scowled at him. "Stop it.Luis," her voice was lost in a shaky gasp, and her arms went around his neck automatically as he pulled her down into his lap. She turned her head as he ran his hands through her hair, and Luis groaned when he couldn't get her to look at him. He sighed in resignation and pulled her closer, brushing his lips against her temple and smoothing his hands down her silk- covered back. Gradually, she relaxed in his arms, and when she pulled back to finally look into his eyes, her blue eyes were bright with angry tears. He tucked an errant strand of blond hair back behind her ear and smiled apologetically at her. "I'm sorry.I was.," he searched for the words, though he still couldn't figure out why something so silly was bothering her so much. "I was insensitive, and I hate it when you're mad at me. Don't be," he whispered, brushing his lips over hers. He was horrified when she burst into tears before his eyes.  
  
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Gwen rolled with laughter as she watched her husband nudge the wriggling live wire called Gus out of their bedroom, lock the door, and come bounding back to join her on the bed like.well.like an excited puppy. "Now, where was I?" he asked, a wicked grin on his face and mischief in those brown eyes she knew so well. "Here?" he asked, sliding his fingers through hers and kissing her palm quickly. She laughed and shook her head 'no'. "That's not right? Hmm. Maybe I was here," he said, dipping his disheveled dark head to nibble on her neck. "Not there," she told him, a bright smile on her lips. "Damn," he swore softly. "I'm just going to have to kiss you all over, huh? Tell me when I'm getting hot." She rolled her brown eyes at him. "What?" he pretended to be oblivious. "If I didn't love you, Bennett.I'd be throwing tomatoes at you." "I'm that bad?" he semi-cringed. "That bad," she nodded her head. "But you love me anyway." She smiled. The goofy grin was back on his face already, and she had to admit it. "I love you anyway." "Good," he said, practically pouncing on her. "Where were we?" he asked her again. "Right about here," she whispered, pulling him in for a passionate kiss. "I'm getting hot," he grinned against her lips. "Ouch, Babe! Injure me while you're at it," he yelped. Half-pretending, half-serious. His wife could pack a wallop when she wanted to.  
  
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If her bedroom had carpet, Abby was sure she would have already worn a hole in it. One more look.one more look into those gray eyes, and she was going to burst. Blurt out all her stupid little fantasies and frighten the man to death. "And that would be great going, wouldn't it, Abby? He already thinks you're a borderline psycho. Grabbing him and kissing the shit out of him can only make things worse," she muttered. For him. Hell, for her, too, ignoring the short-term blissful possibilities. "Get it through your thick skull," she spoke to her reflection in the floor-length mirror in the corner of the room. "He's in love with Sheridan. Madly, passionately, stupidly, Luis is so going to kick his ass if he so much as blinks at her in front of him, insanely in love with Sheridan. And you don't stand a chance," she muttered dejectedly. "You should give up while you're ahead. Save your questionable sanity and heart before it's too late." Whoa! Heart?! So it was more than just hormones talking here? "No," she told her reflection resolutely. "You hardly know the man. No. This isn't about your heart. It's all about.," she turned away from her reflection as she felt her cheeks flush and her heart start pounding in her chest, "it's all about SEX." Argh! She was so sexually frustrated she had trouble thinking straight around the man. She saw something she wanted, she salivated over it for a while, then she went after it. Full speed ahead. In the past anyway. Before.chalk it up to being young and stupid. Well.some things HAD changed. Like the young part. But stupid.according to Shane, and she was sure countless others.the stupid trait was still shining through after all these years. She gave her appearance the once over one more time. "Yeah.you're most definitely still stupid," she grumbled, tying the flowing robe around her waist. But dammit.she didn't care. Time to see if she was a blip on Gray Eyes's radar or not, she thought, striding across the room and yanking the door open. And nearly having a heart attack when she saw someone she totally didn't expect standing a few feet away with Nick.none other than Whitney Russell!  
  
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Sheridan sighed shakily as she felt Luis's fingers absently stroking her stomach, and she leaned back further into his embrace. Her back was nestled against his now bare chest, and he had his arms wrapped around her from behind. Long minutes of silence had passed between them, only broken by the sounds of her soft crying. She was grateful to have him near, holding her so close to his heart in understanding that whatever was bothering her.she just needed him to hold her until she could say the words. She felt his lips at her pulse point, a whisper of a caress, and she attempted to smile through the tears, speaking from her heart. "I'm sorry, Luis. I over-reacted and made such a fool of myself. I don't.it's just.everything. The pressure. The guilt. Not knowing what tomorrow is going to bring. It's been building all day, and when you.it all hit me at once. I'm so sorry," she murmured, turning in his arms so she could see his face. "So this wasn't about me being a bastard?" he asked softly, kissing the hand that cupped his jaw. "Bastard's too strong a word," she smiled slightly. "You being a jerk was the least of it." "So I'm a jerk now?" Luis teased her. "I guess I can live with that. Tell me what's bothering you. I can help. Or try to," he said, holding his arms open to her. She accepted his embrace willingly, sighing tiredly as he lay them back against the pillows.  
  
"I still can't bear to let Ali out of my sight-not even for one second-in the mall." Luis digested what she was saying, realizing the reasons why almost immediately. "I think I hurt Theresa's feelings, Luis." He rubbed her back soothingly as he spoke to her in low, calming tones. "Maybe," he admitted reluctantly. "Maybe you did. But I know my little sister, and she understands. That may not make her feel any better about it, but trust me." he paused to look into her glittering blue eyes. "She doesn't blame you. Not one bit." Sheridan tucked her blond head beneath his chin once more, just listening to his heart beat and his even breathing. "That's not all," she said softly, several minutes later. "Hmm?" he encouraged her with a gentle kiss to the crown of her head. "Today was.it was almost.normal." His heart ached to hear the tears in her voice. "Shopping with the girls. Getting a gown for New Year's. Buying.I bought clothes and toys for the baby. I.and then." He waited for her to continue, for her voice to gain strength again. "I felt so guilty for getting excited about buying stuff for the new baby at the same time I was buying hats for Ali, and it hurt.it hurt to see her pretty blue eyes sparkling at me as she tried on the hats, Luis, 'cause she doesn't realize yet." "Shh," he clutched her even tighter as her body shook with her muffled sobs against him. He cupped her face in his hands as she sought comfort in his kiss. "I don't know if I can do it, Luis." she whispered raggedly as he lay her back against the pillows and brushed the damp hair from her forehead. "I don't know if I can be strong," she cried as his hands moved over her gently, removing the barriers between them. He gathered her close, kissing all her doubts away. "We'll do it," he told her, staring deep into her blue, blue eyes as he began to make love to her. "We'll be strong together," he vowed, kissing her sad mouth.  
  
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She was pretty good at ignoring things. After all, she'd given birth to three adorable, devilish, occasional pains in the ass. She was a mother. Ignorance was sometimes an art form. And ignorance was what she tried desperately to feign as Hank threw himself into making love to her, the damn puppy whining and scratching at their bedroom door the entire time. When Hank's lips touched her stomach, her muscles didn't jump because she was ticklish. She was simply erupting with long held in laughter. "Babe," Hank whined. "I'm getting serious here. You're not supposed to laugh." "I can't help it," she snickered. "Just ignore him," Hank glowered at her. "Damn dog's going back to Becs first thing in the morning. He's really killing my love life." "What love life?" Gwen tried to ask with a straight face, but the corners of her mouth curled up traitorously. "I don't mean it that way," she rolled her brown eyes at him, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him to her. "The kids, Bennett. Our kids especially." "You have a point," Hank admitted grudgingly. "Babe." She cut him off with a fierce kiss. "You know how I tell Jake whining doesn't suit him all the time? Well." "Who's whining?" Hank grinned, attacking her with kisses. Tears rolled down Gwen's cheeks as Gus started howling behind the closed door, and Hank huffed with exasperation. But whoever said Hank Bennett wasn't a determined man. Kissing a hysterically laughing woman had to be hard, she mused, one brown eye popping open as she heard a strange noise. "Hank.Hank.Hank!" she grew frantic, finally slapping the side of his head to get his attention. "Getting a little violent there, Babe," Hank smirked, brown eyes twinkling down at her. At her panicked face, he realized as he heard the creaking noise of.their bedroom door was opening! "Mommy?" "Emmy," they heard Jake hiss. "Don't go in there. The door was locked." Then they heard Sara's gleefully devious little voice. "Well.it's not locked anymore. I unlocked it." Hank's brown eyes grew alarmingly wide as a certain dead puppy whizzed past the open door, straight for them, and he made the only decision his quick thinking mind would allow, rolling his wife's body with his own toward the edge of the bed. Damn, the floor was harder than he remembered, was the last thought he had before slipping into unconsciousness.  
  
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Abby tiptoed back into her bedroom, closing the door behind her with a soft snick and leaning back against it with a sigh. She wasn't going to seduce the man with another woman in the room. That was sure. So she resigned herself to that disappointing fact and slipped the robe from her shoulders and trudging to her empty bed. She threw herself face first onto the bed and yanked her comforter over her half-clad body with one arm. "Not going to happen tonight," she grumbled. Those two looked awfully chummy out there. And to think she'd thought Whitney Russell didn't smile much. "Face it, Abby," she muttered into her pillow, hating herself for the nagging jealousy rising up within her. "You're not a blip. You're not even a speck," she groaned, burying her tawny head beneath a mound of pillows and willing herself to calm down and forget all about ALMOST making a royal fool out of herself. The worst part of this whole thing.she DID care. And that pissed her off. She was in BIG trouble.  
  
  
  
Chapter 35  
  
  
  
"Dr. Nick's taking Whitney to the party! WHITNEY?!" Abby's hazel eyes were so wide Kay nearly burst into laughter. "What the hell happened here, Abby? I'm out of town for what? Not even a full week, and already." Kay decided to tone it down a little bit at the look on her friend's face. Was it dejection or rejection? "Well.he may be taking Whitney to the dance, but it's you he's going to be holding at midnight. My scheming skills are a tad rusty, but I think I can dust them off for something as important as this," Kay winked at Abby, shepherding her toward her bedroom. "Where's your dress?" "I can dress myself," Abby muttered, rolling her eyes at Kay. "What about Miguel?" "He's going to be here in an hour to pick us up," Kay answered her, "so it's a good thing I'm already dressed. But you.get out of those sweats. I hate to say this, but moping isn't a good look on you. And I mean that in the nicest possible way."  
  
"Dammit!" Abby swore as she caught a glance of herself in her mirror- tangled tawny hair and all, "I'm not going looking like this." "Of course, you're not," Kay placated calmly. "Get your ass in the shower." Off Abby's pointed glare, Kay snapped her fingers. "Wasting valuable time here. HURRY!" Kay grinned when she heard the shower start up seconds later. Visiting Chicago and Jess and Reese was nice.but she knew where she was NEEDED. She dug her cell phone out of her small, sequined handbag and punched in Miguel's cell phone number. "Miguel.we have a tiny change in plans.Could you drop the boys off at your mother's?.Thanks.I love you, too.Bye," she smiled as she ended the phone call. "Abby!" Abby's muffled, irritated voice made her giggle. "Yes, Drill Sergeant."  
  
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"Aww, Mom," Jake whined. "Do Sara and Emily have to go?" "Jake," Gwen sighed. "It's not that big of a deal. Emmy's already asleep," she said, nodding at one half of her tiresome twosome slumped against Hank's shoulder. Drooling all over his tux jacket, no doubt. "And Sara.you'll get along fine. Besides.they won't be the only girls there. What about Ali? Did you forget about her?" Jake ducked his brown head in embarrassment as he muttered, "Ali's different." "What's that Little Buddy?" Hank teased his blushing son. "Nothing, Dad," Jake raised his head to glare at his dad. "All right. They can go," he grumbled. "I'm glad you're being the big guy and allowing us this small favor," Gwen smirked, running a hand over her son's unruly brown mop of hair.  
  
"Yuck, Mom," Jake scowled. "She did the spit thing again," Sara told her brother, scrunching up her nose in disgust. "I did?" Gwen grimaced. "Yeah, Babe," Hank grinned, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "Knew I was rubbing off on you." "Shut up," Gwen said, rolling her brown eyes at her husband. No wonder Mother was always so irked. "We better go before Pilar's temporary lapse of insanity is over, and she decides to turn us away at the door when we get there." "Is MJ going to be there, too?" Sara asked, gazing up at her dad expectantly as he led her to their car. "Yep," Hank answered her, shifting Emily to his other side so he could open the car door. "The whole gang," he told her, grinning at his wife a few feet across from him. Insanity indeed, he agreed silently as he buckled his sleeping daughter in and made sure Jake and Sara were situated as well. He didn't know if Pilar would retain her saintly patience after this little adventure.  
  
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"Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Chad cleared his throat uncomfortably, giving his collar a nervous tug. "Yes, Son?" Martin gave the young man before him a friendly smile. He looked liked he needed it. An uncertain expression passed over Chad's features momentarily before he grinned back at Theresa's father. "You called me 'Son', Sir." Martin chuckled. "Yes. Yes, I did. What can I do for you, Chad?" "Son.Son's alright, Sir. Yeah. I think I like it." Pilar smiled at the pair from the hallway leading to her Theresita's childhood room. "Okay, Son," Martin's eyes danced with humor as he granted Chad's request. "But you don't have to call me Sir or even Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Martin's fine. You seem to have an awful lot on your mind. You want to tell me about it?" After talking with her daughter as she helped her get dressed, Pilar knew what was coming, and she wasn't so sure her husband was ready for Chad's particular question no matter how much he liked the young man. "Mr. Lopez-Fitzger.Martin.it's about your daughter." Pilar heaved a huge sigh of relief when she heard a familiar voice behind her, and all eyes turned to the sound, admiring the pretty picture Theresa made in her shimmering pink gown. "Did I hear my name?" she asked, giggling at the expressions on her papa's and Chad's faces.  
  
Martin stepped forward to enfold his daughter in his arms. "Look at you. All grown up and pretty as a picture. You're a lucky young man, Son," Martin said, relinquishing his daughter to Chad's capable care. "I know," Chad said, more to himself than to the man before him, and the room was silent for several seconds as Chad gazed at Theresa until she burst into another fit of laughter. This time slightly embarrassed laughter. "You look nice," she whispered, fingering the lapels of Chad's well-fitted tux. "Thanks," Chad grinned. "Papa," an amused voice rang out, making all four heads turn toward the front door. "I can't believe you're letting him ogle my little sister like that." Theresa giggled and chastised her big brother, "Luis. Chad wasn't ogling me. He was admiring me. Right, Chad?" Chad chanced a quick glance Martin and Pilar's way then smirked at Luis. "Listen to your sister, Luis. She's right. I wasn't doing nothing but admiring her. Where's Auntie Sher?"  
  
Sheridan appeared at the front door, her sleepy children in front of her, and rolled her blue eyes at Chad. "I heard that." "I thought you liked it when I called you that," Chad grinned at her across the room. "Hey Squirt.Little Man," he greeted Ali and Cristian. Theresa held her arms out for her little niece and nephew, and they trudged toward her. "Mija," Pilar breathed, wrapping her arms around Sheridan's shoulders in a motherly embrace. "You look beautiful." The dress sparkled and glimmered under the dim lighting of the Lopez-Fitzgerald living room. The color.Pilar wasn't sure it had a name, but it was almost the color of champagne, and the cut of the dress was very flattering. "Thanks, Pilar," Sheridan smiled at her. "I wasn't sure the color was right for me, but I loved the dress so much I couldn't not choose it." "The color looks fine," Luis said, surprising Sheridan when he looped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her back against his length. "I'm still biased." "Luis was disappointed the dress wasn't red," Sheridan laughed, slightly embarrassed when Luis lips lingered along her neck just a little too long in front of his parents. "Luis." Sheridan could feel him smiling against her skin as he kissed her cheek and released her from his arms.  
  
Ali tugged on her Grandpa Martin's shirt sleeve. "Grandpa Martin." "Yes, Sweetheart?" Martin said, scooping Ali's slight little figure up into his arms and running an affectionate hand over her loose golden hair. "Mommy said Jake was going to come. He's not here yet. Where is he?" "Right behind us," Miguel answered Ali's question, and Sheridan could swear she heard Pilar groan when she laid eyes on her wild little grandson tearing through the front door like a tornado. There wasn't any doubt about it. She DID hear Pilar laugh when Cristian hid behind Theresa's legs when MJ made a beeline for him. "Are you sure you're going to be okay, Pilar?" Sheridan inquired of her softly. "I'll be fine, Mija," Pilar told her, giving her cheek a gentle pat. "It's getting late. Shouldn't you be leaving for the party soon?" Pilar wondered as she took Joshua from Miguel's arms. "We thought we'd wait for Hank and Gwen," Luis told his mother. "Hey Bro," he grabbed Miguel's shoulder, "where's Kay?" "I'm supposed to pick her up at Abby's in.ten minutes." "Where's Miguelito off to in such a hurry," Hank grinned, pulling a surprised Pilar into a bear hug. Gwen and the children filtered in a moment later. "Well.looks like we're all here," Hank announced. "Where are the cameras? Don't you want to record this moment for posterity. This is like Senior Prom times ten," he joked. Badly, Gwen might add to herself. Fondly, of course. This night was going to be SO long. 


	8. Chapter 36

Chapter 36  
"I thought the morning sickness was getting better," Gwen said as she dabbed the cool cloth in her hands against Sheridan's pale skin. "It IS," Sheridan told her unconvincingly, grabbing the bar in front of her to keep her balance. "It's not as constant. It comes in waves." Gwen gave her friend's reflection in the bathroom mirror an apologetic look. "I guess I shouldn't spend much time tonight on the dance floor, huh?" Sheridan said, taking a shaky breath. "I think that would be best," Gwen agreed. The bathroom door opened, and Beth appeared behind them, wearing a concerned expression on her face. "Ethan and Luis were worried," she explained. "Sheridan, are you sure you're okay?" Sheridan turned around slowly and reached for one of Beth's hands with a smile. "I'm fine, Beth. Really I am. Gwen and I were just about to go back outside, weren't we, Gwen? You look wonderful tonight, Beth."  
  
A smile flickered across Beth's face at the unexpected compliment, and she smoothed her hands over her midnight blue skirt. "Thank you," she murmured. "You make Ethan happy, and it's been a long time since Ethan's been happy," Gwen revealed quietly. "You have the wrong idea," Beth spoke up. "Ethan and I.we're just friends." Gwen and Sheridan shared a knowing smile. "We are. There's nothing going on between us. We were both just lonely, and." "Beth," Gwen laughed, "it's okay. You don't have to convince us of anything, but you might want to figure things out better for yourself." Gwen and Sheridan exited the bathroom, leaving Beth behind in utter bewilderment.  
  
Luis and Hank were still where they'd left them. Camped out at their table, grilling Kay about Abby's whereabouts. Or rather.Hank was grilling Kay. Luis jumped out of his seat and hurried to offer his arm, making Sheridan smile and actually get a little teary-eyed. Gwen took her seat beside her husband, sighing loudly when he kept on and on. "I thought you were bringing Tink. What happened?" "Uncle Hank," Kay laughed. "I think you're making Gwen jealous." Hank grinned in delight, turning to face her. "Am I?" Gwen lifted the flute of champagne in front of her to her lips. "Not jealous," she told him boredly, taking a sip. "Annoyed," she said, rolling her brown eyes at him. "But I'm just the wife. Don't mind me."  
  
"You ARE jealous," Hank deduced. "Admit it." "Trust me, Hank," Gwen leaned forward, in case she wasn't making her sentiments perfectly clear. "I have NOTHING to be jealous about. Abby's already got her sights on somebody else." Hank spotted Abby's 'somebody' across a sea of gently swaying bodies, Whitney Russell smiling and laughing in his arms, and frowned at his wife. "Unless.," she began, seeing something strange spark within his brown eyes, "Bennett.are you.YOU'RE the one who's jealous." Hank shook his head, laughing at the ridiculousness of his wife's statement. "I'm not jealous." "Oh really?" Gwen challenged. "Then what is with the constant questions?" "Tink's my friend, okay? Our friend. And I just know that a certain doctor's going to do a number on her, and it isn't going to be pretty. Come on, Babe," he hissed in a low voice so Sheridan, and most importantly, Luis could not hear. "The man wants my best friend's wife. Hell. He wants Luis's life. If Abby gets messed up with him, he's going to trample all over her heart, and when he does, I'm going to kick his ass."  
  
Gwen choked on the champagne she was sipping, nearly spitting it across the table into Miguel's face. "You don't think I can take him, do you?" Hank grumbled, and Gwen could swear she saw him puff his chest out in a failed attempt to look threatening and tough. "Bennett," Gwen snapped. "Grow up. Abby's a big girl, and believe what you will, but she's got her eyes wide open. Besides.Sheridan's never going to let anything come of it. The whole thing's completely one-sided on HIS part. Look at her, Bennett. Look at her." Hank glanced over at Sheridan and smiled to find her listening to something Luis was telling her with an attentive smile. "All she feels is gratitude for the man for taking care of Ali."  
  
"Yeah," Hank interrupted her. "And don't think he won't take advantage of that. He's going to use his position as Ali's doctor to get closer to her. I'm telling you, Babe. I can see it coming from a mile away. I want to be wrong, and I usually am. But I don't think I'm going to be wrong on this one," he said, grabbing his own flute of champagne and downing it in one big gulp. "Put on your seat belts. This year's going to be one helluva rocky ride," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.  
  
"So you're making predictions now, Uncle Hank?" Kay teased, trying to lighten the tension between the pair across from her. Well.that didn't work, so she relied on the old fail-safe. Miguel nearly tripped over his own feet when she dragged him out onto the dance floor. "Put your arms around me," Kay ordered with a wry grin. "Kind of boring so far, huh? Earth to Miguel. Where are you?" she asked, waving her hand in front of his face. "Huh?" Miguel asked, finally snapping out of his daze. Kay sighed and lay her head on his shoulder. "I hope MJ isn't torturing your mother," she mumbled against his neck as she pressed tiny kisses there. Miguel's groan rumbled deep within his chest, and she had to laugh. It'd already been said, but it deserved to be repeated.POOR PILAR.  
  
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"Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald." Emily paused to take a deep breath after saying the rather long name. "Yes, Mija," Pilar smiled down at the little brown- haired moppet standing beside her. "I want to help. Can I help?" Emily asked in a rush of breath. Pilar dried off the last bowl and placed it in the cupboard. "Well, Mija," she explained patiently, bending at the waist and tucking Emily's sleep-tousled brown hair behind her ear. "I'm finished with the dishes, but there is something else you can do." "There is?" Emily said excitedly. "I forgot to turn on the night light for Joshua in Luis's old bedroom," Pilar said, "will you do that for me?"  
  
Emily nodded her head readily. "Cause Joshua'll wake up and get scared in the dark." "Exactly," Pilar confirmed. "Take his bear to him, too." Emmy grabbed the scruffy-looking old bear off the table and hugged it to her tiny chest, skipping out the kitchen door. Barely missing Martin, who sidestepped to let her by. "I think it's time to get our grandson a new bear." "Teddy survived MJ. I think he'll last a few more years yet," Pilar gave her husband a half-smile. "Dios Mio!" she exclaimed when they heard a crash in the living room a second later. She should have known from years of experience.NEVER leave Jake, MJ, or Sara alone in a room. Especially if Cristian and Ali were along for the ride.  
  
Cristian hung his dark little head in shame, looking utterly contrite and downright shameful as she looked at him. Jake shuffled his feet nervously, his brown eyes peeking up at them from behind his mop of brown hair. Sara had her fingers crossed behind her back, and MJ stared at them defiantly. Fat crystal tears rolled down Ali's reddened cheeks, and an alarm instantly sounded within Pilar as she hurried to kneel at her granddaughter's feet. "Mija? Mija, what happened? Did they hurt you?" she asked, her voice rising almost frantically. Martin began to question the other children one by one, intent on finding out the source of Ali's tears.  
  
Cristian took one more look at his sister's tears and started sobbing out the whole story. "We.we.were playing.tag," he gasped for breath. "Ali." "MJ cheated when Ali tried to tag base and pulled Ali's hair," Jake piped up when it appeared it was going to literally take Cristian several minutes to sob the whole story out. "They didn't hurt me, Nana," Ali sniffled. Pilar opened Ali's small, balled-up fist and realization dawned on her as the long, golden strands fluttered to the floor. Ali was embarrassed more than she was hurt. For the first time, MJ actually looked apologetic. "I didn't know it was going to come out like that," he shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Papa," he said, looking up to Martin. Jake scowled at his cousin, walking over to Ali and offering her a reassuring smile. "It's all right, Ali," he said, taking her hand in his. "You'll always be the prettiest girl I've ever seen even if you're bald." Ali smiled at him, tears still glistening in her big blue eyes.  
  
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"Ethan, Darling," Ivy sighed, swirling her champagne around in her glass as her son led her around the dance floor. "You don't HAVE to dance with me.I'm perfectly fine at the table." "I know I don't HAVE to, Mother," Ethan smiled at her. "I want to. Aunt Sheridan finally convinced Luis to leave her alone and have some fun, and he's dancing with Beth." "Jealous, Dear?" Ivy teased her son, smirking at the blush that crept over his cheeks. "No! I mean.No, Mother. I'm not jealous. Why would I be jealous? Beth and I are just friends," Ethan practically stammered. "Mother."  
  
Ivy had to laugh at her son's befuddled expression when she maneuvered them toward Luis and Beth. "What are you doing?" Ivy leaned forward and whispered helpfully in her son's ear, "Cut in." A kiss to his cheek and a few nervously spoken words on his AND Beth's part, and Ivy soon found herself in Luis's capable arms, both of them grinning at Ethan's clumsy efforts to impress his 'date'.  
  
From their table, Sheridan and Gwen laughed at Hank and Miguel sulking nearby the terrace. About what, the women still hadn't determined. Kay joked that part of the reason was the women's hysterical laughter at the mere thought of Hank or Miguel being able to kick anyone's ass. "Somebody take this stuff away from me," she said, handing her glass of champagne to Gwen. "I'm never going to be able to make it through Luis's.thing tomorrow," Kay said, laughing at her inability to find the correct words. Gwen searched Luis's dark figure out on the dance floor, smiling, as she spoke, "Police Chief. The Chief of Police's wife, Sheridan. Congratulations." "Thanks," Sheridan said, laughing slightly. Chief of Police's wife. For a former socialite.she knew Father was probably turning in his grave.  
  
"Have you seen Abby at all tonight?" Gwen asked, catching another glance of the good doctor and Whitney Russell. They'd danced the night away. Kay snickered when the object of Gwen's curiosity appeared behind her, nearly giving Gwen a heart attack when she turned around and saw her. "Give me that," Abby said, snatching the champagne glass from Gwen's hand. "Every time I get within two feet of the man, my legs turn to jello, and I nearly fall flat on my face," Abby blabbered. "Every man in this damn establishment has stared at my ass except him." Sheridan giggled girlishly. "I can't tell if you're offended because all those other men DID or Nick DIDN'T." "Are you kidding?" Abby rolled her hazel eyes at Sheridan, taking the seat next to her. "Gray Eyes is blind. Am I invisible?" Abby wondered miserably.  
  
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Pilar smiled as she pressed a kiss to Cristian's forehead and tucked the covers beneath Emmy's arms. Cristian sighed in his sleep, snuggling closer to Emmy's side, and Martin chuckled at the sight the pair made. "The quiet ones would have to fall asleep first," he kidded her. Pilar shook her head tiredly as she pulled the bedroom door closed behind them. "It's too quiet, Martin. Where are the others?" "Watching." Martin trailed off when they found the living room empty, no sign of the youngsters that had begged him to let them stay up and watch the ball fall in New York.  
  
Pilar went to search the kitchen while Martin looked in each of the bedrooms. When he tried the knob to the bathroom door, he found the door locked and heard the tell-tale giggles that could only mean one thing: TROUBLE. Pilar appeared at his side, demanding that the door be opened, and seconds later, she was wishing otherwise. "DIOS MIO! MJ, Jake, Sara! What have you done?" Ali chewed on her bottom lip, hiding her sheepish expression from her grandmother behind her veil of golden hair.  
  
"Your hair," Pilar fretted as she ran a hand through Sara's chopped up brown hair, no longer skimming her shoulders in soft waves. Jake's mop of brown hair wasn't a mop anymore. It was short. Almost spiky. And MJ. "Dios Mio," Pilar whispered as she eyed the track Martin's electric razor had made through the middle of her grandson's scalp. "We didn't want Ali to feel bad," Jake mumbled, staring at his feet. "It was fun!" Sara exclaimed, raising the pair of scissors to her hair again and pouting when Pilar snatched them from her hands. Martin took his razor from MJ before he could do anymore damage. "Hey!" MJ protested, "I'm not bald yet!"  
  
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"Abby! Now's your chance!" Kay cried, grabbing her by the arm and hauling her across the dance floor. Champagne sloshed over the side of Abby's glass as she struggled to stay on her feet and reach the other side of the Seascape in one piece. "Kay.this isn't a good idea," Abby protested the closer they came to Nick. Abby couldn't decide whether it was a miracle that he was finally alone or a curse. Curse, she decided, glaring at Kay when she gave her a 'helpful' shove. Right into the man's arms.  
  
Kay Bennett was a dead woman, Abby swore to herself as she stared up into his amused gray eyes. Dammit if she wasn't going to burn alive BEFORE she could willfully murder her conniving cohort. The fingers of one of Nick's hands blazed fire over the small of her exposed back while the fingers of his other hand plucked the empty champagne glass from her hand and gave it to a passing waiter. "Care to dance?"  
  
"I didn't know Abby had a tattoo," Luis mused, his own arms tight around his lovely wife's waist. Sheridan's blue eyes sparkled up at him, and she could barely keep a straight face as she told him about Hank's earlier shock at seeing Abby so.well, Sheridan had to give props to her favorite nut.sexy and un-Abby in her revealing purple dress and flirty, tawny up-do. The reaction to the tattoo had been nothing short of hilarious. Luis grinned, looking over his wife's shoulder to get a better look at the brilliant sunburst design against Abby's tanned lower back. He laughed out loud when Abby stumbled over her own feet, and Taylor had to wrap his arms more firmly around her to keep her upright. "Accidental or planned?" he wondered.  
  
"I don't know," Sheridan said, losing herself in his deep brown eyes and running her hands through the black hair at the nape of his neck. "Could be a little of both," she smiled, remembering the countless glasses of alcohol Abby tended to consume when she was nervous. "With Abby it's hard to tell." "If she's wasted or sober," Luis finished Sheridan's thought for her. "How much longer 'til midnight?" he asked suddenly, smiling at his little sister and Chad a few feet away and Gwen and Hank, all made up and enjoying the night out on the town immensely. "I see Kay, Miguel, and Simone are keeping Whitney occupied," he chuckled. "What is going on between Taylor and Whitney?" "It can't be too much longer," Sheridan told him after giving Ivy a quick wave as Luis whirled them past her table. "Whitney accidentally grabbed the shopping bag with Abby's dress in it and dropped by to switch it back. She met Nick, and apparently they hit it off. Luis? Why do you want to know what time it is?" Luis brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. "I'm excited about kissing such a beautiful woman. Why else?" he teased, making her laugh and roll her blue eyes at him. "There's just something I'd really like to do," he told her. Then he leaned forward and whispered it in her ear.  
  
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The lights and images from the New Year's countdown on the muted television flickered across the sleep-relaxed faces of each child curled up asleep on the living room floor. Pilar had decided she wasn't taking anymore chances. All the scissors and razors in the house were safely locked away, and Jake, MJ, and Sara never left her or Martin's sight. She'd evened up Sara's brown hair as much as best she could so her new look wouldn't shock her mother into heart failure, but looking at Gwen and Hank's young daughter sleeping beside her sister.no amount of Oscar-caliber acting from young Sara Bennett would fool anyone into believing she was the sweet twin anytime soon. Jake.there was hope for him yet so Pilar thought it best to leave it up to professionals. MJ was another story. Her young grandson wasn't bald, but he was pretty close. She just thanked God Cristian, Joshua, and Emily had missed out on all the 'fun' as Sara had called it.  
  
Pilar closed her eyes in exhaustion. Never again. Never ever again. She stirred when she felt Martin's soft nudge of her arm, her brown eyes fluttering open and watching Jake's silhouette in the dim living room as he watched Ali sleep peacefully. Midnight was still a few minutes away, and as the last holdout, Jake was fading fast. Pilar burrowed deeper into Martin's side, pretending to be asleep when Jake glanced up at them to check if he was being watched, and held her breath as he turned back away from them. She smiled and felt tears sting her eyes at what happened next. A sweet gesture.what she hoped was a glimpse into the future. Her future. Jake's future. And her dear little Ali's future. Jake's shadow loomed over Ali's sweet little face as he brushed her long golden hair back from her forehead with his little boy hands. His voice a soft whisper in the silent room as he studied Ali's pretty features. "Happy New Year, Ali," he breathed, pressing a soft kiss against her skin and slowly laying himself back down. Pilar's smile grew even wider as she realized.Ali was smiling in her sleep.  
  
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"Where are Aunt Sheridan and Luis?" Ethan wondered aloud, his blue eyes looking anywhere but at Beth's face. "It's almost time." Beth blushed, smiling slightly at the panic on his boyish features as the countdown began, and he realized they were still dancing together. Still in each other's arms. "Maybe they went out on the terrace to see the fireworks better." Ethan's eyes gravitated toward the terrace. He didn't find his aunt there, but he did see Chad and Theresa getting a head start on everybody. A pang of regret rose inside his chest until he looked into Beth's understanding brown eyes. The Seascape crowd grew louder as the countdown drew closer to an end, and Ethan started babbling nervous nonsense that made Beth giggle. His frantic search for distraction and silly worry for his mother almost had her rolling her dark eyes at him. Friends? More? Beth wasn't sure, but she was ready to find out, and she refused to let him escape.  
  
Kay grinned into Miguel's dark eyes, giddy that she'd managed to carry out her part of the plan to have Abby in Dr. Nick's arms as it neared midnight. Whitney nursed a flute of champagne beside her and Miguel while across the Seascape dance floor Abby was clutching her dream man for dear life. With all the bad that had plagued them, she still felt thankful. Happy even. She had her husband. She had the rest of her family. And most importantly.she had her boys. In a few short days' time, Joshua would have the gift of hearing restored to him. She couldn't wait for him to know the sound of her voice. She couldn't wait to introduce him to a whole new world, and she'd do it with Miguel by her side. This year was going to be better than the last. She could feel it.  
  
Her friends were all around her, but Abby was focused on only one person as the hour drew near, and she stood still, her hazel eyes gazing into gray, disbelieving the approaching moment was actually real. Celebratory cheers went up as the clock struck twelve, and the familiar song started playing. Abby's pulse raced. She was having trouble breathing .just not freaking out in general, and she glanced around. Looking anywhere but at him, and those lips she wanted so much on hers. Gwen had her arms thrown around Hank's neck, the evening's earlier tiffs obviously forgotten. Theresa and Chad looked young and in love. Kay was making good on her promise to kiss Miguel silly, and Beth and Ethan.  
  
"Go Beth," Abby said. In total admiration. Younger man, rich, sometimes a square, but a sweet square. She looked back to Gray Eyes longingly, congratulating and damning herself in the same breath as soon as she blurted, "Are you going to kiss me or do I have to attack you myself?" She molded herself against his firm body, her hands clutching his upper arms for support as his lips brushed against hers in a kiss that was sweet, gentle, and. "Too damn short," she muttered, yanking his mouth back to hers when he moved to pull back and threading her fingers through his dark hair. Let him think it was the champagne, she thought to herself as he grinned against her mouth. "That was better," she breathed, sagging against him. Damn! If it wasn't the return of the jello legs.  
  
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The beauty of the sparkling and exploding fireworks was reflected in Ali's innocent , awestruck young face and Cristian's wide, luminous dark eyes as they nestled close together in their parents' embrace, wrapped in blankets upon blankets against the car hood. Sheridan sighed happily as Luis brought her closer, brushing his lips against her temple before grasping her chin in his hand and bringing her lips to his own in a tender kiss filled with love and optimism. "Happy New Year," they whispered to each other and to their children. And they held on to each other 'til the last firework died out in the midnight sky.  
Chapter 37  
Katie lay the newspaper she was reading down as soon as she heard Dr. Taylor's voice. "Katie? Is Ali's room ready for her?" "Ready," Katie nodded, walking over to join him at the edge of the nurses' desk. Nick took the offered paper from her hands, his gray eyes drawn to the photo spanning the front page. It was a photo of the new police chief with his family at the previous day's induction ceremony. "They're such a beautiful family, aren't they?" Katie noted, watching Nick's reaction carefully out of the corner of her eyes. Katie wasn't stupid, and she wasn't cruel. But she liked the man in front of her. Respected him. Wanted him to be happy. And clinging to the dream of his young patient's mother belonging to him someday wasn't going to bring him happiness anytime soon. Somebody HAD to make him see that.  
  
A thousand emotions flitted across Nick's handsome face, and when he raised serious gray eyes to her, Katie knew he knew what she was trying to do. "Yes, Katie. They are. What about the bed? Jen.Sheridan's pregnant. She needs her rest, and sleeping in that uncomfortable chair beside Ali's bed won't do. There's no way she's going to leave Ali to go home and rest. Is the other bed set up in Ali's room?" "Everything's ready," Katie smiled at him. "I love that little girl. Do you think I wouldn't make sure she has everything she needs? Especially her mommy?" One look into Nick's gray eyes told her he didn't think that at all. "I've missed her. I just wish we were seeing her again under different circumstances," Katie sighed. "At least she was well enough to enjoy Christmas and New Year's at home. That reminds me," Katie's eyes twinkled at Nick, who ducked his dark head and wouldn't meet her gaze. "There's a rumor going around about you and one wacky physical therapist. Involving champagne, dancing, Auld Lang Syne, and a kiss. Any merit to it?" Katie teased.  
  
"It was nothing," Nick answered her, grabbing his charts and taking off down the hall. Katie sighed and followed after him. "Nothing?" Katie questioned. "C'mon. Was there really no attraction? No spark?" Nick glanced at her and shook his head in annoyance. "Or was there?" Katie wondered as they stopped in front of the hospital room Ali Lopez-Fitzgerald would soon reclaim. "Admit it. It wasn't so bad kissing Abby. I think you even liked it a little. But a part of you." "Part of me what?" Nick asked, narrowing his gray eyes at her. "You know Katie.before today you were my favorite nurse on staff." Yeah, Katie thought, nearly rolling her eyes. And the least favorite nurse of her colleagues because of that. "What?" Nick prodded. "I think I know you well enough by now to know when something's on your mind, and you've never been one to keep quiet before. Go ahead. Let me have it."  
  
"You really want me to let you have it?" Katie asked, crossing her arms and staring into his ever-changing eyes. She watched them as they changed under her steady gaze from gray to silver, and he hesitantly nodded his head at her. "Don't do anything stupid. Leave them alone. Leave her alone," she told him in a low voice. "This is.you don't know what you're talking about, Katie. I'm not DOING anything. My feelings for." "Aren't returned," Katie interrupted gently. "There's no rule that says you have to spend the rest of your life alone because the one you want can't be yours. You'll be miserable, and it'll be all YOUR fault. You like Abby. I can tell," Katie smiled at him. "See?" she wagged her finger under his nose. "You get that funny little half-smile on your lips when you hear her name."  
  
"The woman's hazardous to my health," Nick smirked in response, "I never said I didn't like her, Katie. But I'm not looking for a relationship with her. With anyone," he elaborated when Katie looked skeptical. "Things would be too awkward if we ever.and it didn't work out. I'd have to move out, and there's no way in hell I'm going back to." "Mrs. Bennett," Katie smiled brightly. Nick blinked. How did Katie know Grace? What the.he whirled around to face the petite redhead. "Grace," Grace corrected Katie, smiling at Nick. "I haven't seen too much of you since you moved out of the B & B. I hope things are going well with Abby. Kay tells me you two had a rough start, but things are great now." Katie grinned at the memory of the pepper spray incident. "Things are good," Nick answered her, ignoring Katie's quiet laughter. "I hope there's nothing wrong," he said, rubbing a big hand over Joshua's dark head. "Nothing's wrong is there, Joshua?" Grace spoke to the toddler in her arms, "he's getting some preliminaries done before the surgery. Kay's outside parking the car. She's supposed to." Grace trailed off after glancing at the watch on her arm. ".meet us. We're late. I hope you can excuse us." "Nice lady," Katie mused as they watched Grace hurry down the hall. "Real nice," Nick agreed. "I hear she bakes a mean Tomato Soup Cake." "Katie," Nick could only laugh.  
  
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Abby's hazel eyes twinkled when she saw Kay standing outside her office. "Hi Joshua," she said, tugging the little boy's sneakered foot. "How'd the prelims go?" she asked, fitting her key in the lock and twisting the knob to let her unexpected guests inside. "Not bad," Kay answered her, settling her son down on the edge of Abby's beaten, old desk and giving Abby the once over. "Damn, am I glad you've lost the shades," she stated with a grin. Abby rolled her eyes and leaned against the closed door. "Hangovers weren't that vicious in college," she smirked, "I thought your mom was coming with you." "She went to lunch with Eve. Aren't you avoiding something?" Kay arched a dark brow teasingly at her friend, taking a seat behind her son. "I couldn't get anything out of you yesterday." "Yeah, well," Abby sighed. "That's because there was nothing to get. I don't even know how I got home from the party. Was I conscious or unconscious the last time you saw me?" she wondered. Kay pondered the question for a moment then smiled apologetically at Abby. "You were kind of out of it. Is he a good kisser?" Abby hedged the question, but if the smile on her lips was any indication.  
  
"How was Chicago?" Abby asked, walking toward them and slumping down in the only chair in the office. Besides her desk chair, of course. "Cold. Windy. Nice," Kay said softly. "It's funny. Jess and I were never that close, but the last week or so.it was different. I think we've both grown up. It just took me a little longer to reach the same wavelength. I miss her. I wish she and Reese would come back to Harmony.what? Abby," Kay laughed in slight embarrassment. Abby tucked her legs beneath her, offering Kay an understanding smile. "It's the holidays. Temporary insanity," she declared. "I nearly begged Shane to fly in from New York." Kay grinned, "Why don't you? I'd REALLY like to meet him." "Shane?" Abby scoffed. "My big brother? You're kidding, right? He's serious, sane, SO not like me at all. You'd hate him." "So I only like lunatics like you now?" Kay joked. Abby just smiled at her, "Want to grab lunch? I have another patient in less than an hour so we're limited to the cafeteria, but it's not ALL bad." "Only if you promise to take us out to a finer establishment next time. Right Joshua?" Kay said, tracing Joshua's silky cheek with her thumb and making him smile before she lifted him up into her arms. "Who says there's going to be a next time?" Abby arched a tawny brow at her when she walked out the door. "Where's my favorite little bald guy?" she inquired with a smirk as she shut off the lights and locked the office door behind her.  
  
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Chad set the last box in his hands down in the floor, his dark eyes surveying the guest room Theresa was going to be calling home for the next few.well, he wasn't certain how long she would be here. Probably as long as Sheridan and Luis needed her. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He was supposed to be helping her move into his apartment. He laughed when Max bounded onto the bed, rolling over and presenting his golden tummy to be scratched. Chad bent at the waist to oblige the overgrown pup. "I'm leaving it up to you to take care of my girl while she's taking care of Cristian. Understand?" Max barked in affirmation, causing Chad to grin and another someone to giggle. "I can take care of myself," Theresa smiled at him as he straightened up and started walking toward her. "You're not disappointed, are you? About me not moving in with you? With Ali's treatments starting back up and Luis being chief of police, neither Sheridan nor my brother is going to be home much, and they want Cristian to be where he's comfortable. Not passed from Mama to Ethan and Ivy to."  
  
Chad pressed his lips to her babbling mouth then pulled back. "I can live with the disappointment. It's a good thing you're doing." "Cristian and I are going to have lots of fun, aren't we?" Theresa smiled to the subdued little boy watching them from the doorway, one of Miss Priss's squirming progeny in his arms. "Yeah," Cristian said softly, and it didn't escape Chad or Theresa that he wasn't terribly enthused. Theresa knelt at Cristian's feet and reached a hand up to stroke the mewling kitten's smoky gray fur. "Ali has to go to the hospital so Dr. Nick can make her better, Cristian." Cristian's big brown eyes welled up, and he nodded his dark head, his voice trembling and filled with tears. "I know. But I still don't like it when she goes. I get lonely," he sniffled. "I miss Ali and Mommy already. I'm not brave like Daddy says. I don't know how." Theresa gathered him close, protesting kitten and all, and murmured against his damp cheek, "That's not true. You're one of the bravest little boys I know. Even the bravest person gets scared sometimes, Cristian. Don't feel bad about it. I," she pulled back to smile at him as she cupped his face between her palms, "I still think you're brave, and Chad does too." Tears clung to the fringes of Cristian's dark lashes as he looked at Chad. "You're the man," Chad gave the little boy a nod of agreement. Cristian's eyes sparkled, and a small smile appeared on his lips.  
  
"Hand Smoky to me, and go wash your hands. Nana said she'd be here with lunch any minute," Theresa held her hands out for tiny kitten, and Cristian carefully handed it over. "You're good with him," Chad grinned at her when Cristian disappeared through the door. "Thanks," Theresa said, giving him a quick kiss and strolling after her nephew. "Theresa! Oh man," Chad swore as Smoky's tiny claws sank further into his sweater, and the kitten started climbing up his chest. Chad carefully pried the furball's claws from his sweater and held it eye to eye with him. "Now what'd I tell you 'bout respect? Me and you got to set a few things straight about my clothes," he scolded in a menacing voice. Only to be met with the soft sound of the kitten's content purring. Chad gathered the kitten close with a roll of his eyes and walked toward the open door. "I paid good money for these rags."  
Chapter 38  
Sheridan's hands trembled holding Ali's long golden blond hair off her pale, tired face. Wave after wave of nausea had blindsided Ali since late afternoon. Sheridan had never seen her daughter so sick, and it worried her. "Mommy," Ali cried weakly, "Mommy, make it stop. Please make it stop." Sheridan's hand frantically fumbled for the call button, and she kissed Ali's sweat-dampened temple, murmuring nonsensical words meant to soothe. "Mommy's doing all she can, Baby," she whispered thickly, her lips brushing against Ali's ear. "I know it's rough, but we have to get you better." Katie's footsteps were soft, so soft Sheridan was surprised to look up and find her giving them a sympathetic look. "Hey, Sweetie," Katie cooed, dabbing Ali's brow with a cool cloth and staring into Ali's blue, tear-filled eyes. "You're doing fine. I'm so proud of you. I know you're uncomfortable, and you feel really sick."  
  
Ali's chin quivered, and her tiny fingers squeezed Sheridan's hand tightly as she looked to Katie for help. "I have.to." Katie helped support Ali as she leaned forward, unable to keep the contents of her stomach down any longer. "I'm.sor..sorry," Ali cried, her tiny shoulders quaking as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "Ali," Sheridan choked, sweeping Ali's golden hair off her neck and tying it back loosely with a ribbon, "You have nothing to feel sorry for." "Your mommy's right, Doll," Katie murmured softly. "It's the medicine. It's really strong, and." Ali's entire body shuddered violently, and Sheridan had the strongest desire to scream at the irony that the medicine fighting Ali's cancer was making her so ill. Ali's sobs were heartwrenching, and Sheridan felt like her heart was permanently lodged in her throat when Ali started crying for Luis. "I want my daddy! Daddy!"  
  
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"Hey, hey, hey!" Hank yelled as MJ tore past him and Gwen, practically plowing them down in his efforts to escape punishment. Joshua's sobs were muffled against Grace's neck, but they were still loud. Even over the music. "Where do you think you're going?" Hank questioned, grabbing MJ's arm and pulling him up short. "You don't push your little brother like that. If your mom were here." "She's not," MJ said defiantly. "She's not here. She went to the airport, and.why's Joshua having a party? He's just a stupid baby!" Miguel sighed heavily and grabbed his son on the way to the kitchen. "Something tells me Miguel's not used to laying down the law," Hank smirked as he watched the younger man disappear with his kicking and screaming son. "Bennett!" Gwen hissed. "What? Ouch," Hank scowled back at his wife after she'd hit him in the arm. "MJ's taking sibling rivalry to the extreme, Babe. He could have really hurt the kid shoving him into the coffee table like that.Kay better drop off Simone and Whitney quick and hurry back.the kid is a spoiled br."  
  
Gwen glared at him, daring him to continue, "I suppose you were a saint." "That's right," Hank grinned. "Sam was the one always getting in trouble." "Is that so?" Sam rolled his eyes. "Then why is it that." Gwen pushed herself up from the sofa and went in search of her frighteningly, uncharacteristically quiet children as Sam and Hank continued their debate. "Eve," Gwen paused to question Eve and Grace, "have you seen Jake or the girls?" "I think I saw them in the kitchen," Grace said helpfully. Gwen walked into the kitchen to find MJ glaring to no one in particular with Emily happily coloring at the opposite side of the table, and two brown heads together near the garbage disposal. Miguel was nowhere to be found. "Jake! Sara! What on earth are you two doing?" she asked, blanching when she saw the mess they'd made. "We're throwing away all Aunt Grace's yucky stuff," Sara said matter-of-factly. "Jake," Gwen glowered. "You know better. Sara knows better too, but you're the oldest." Jake shrugged his shoulders, unfazed and simply said, "I was bored." "Aunt Grace doesn't have anything good in her house," Sara complained. "Sara.in the living room.NOW!" Gwen pointed. "Not you," she said, grabbing her son by the arm as he tried to sneak past. "Help me clean this up before your Aunt Grace comes in here and sees it." Jake made a show of grumbling but soon made himself useful. Cleaning was just the distraction they needed. Their thoughts too wrapped up in Ali to feel like celebrating. Even something as wonderful as Joshua's implant surgery.  
  
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Abby wiped the steam from the bathroom mirror with the edge of her lavendar towel, hazel eyes studying her own reflection critically. Shoulder-length tawny hair she could live with--though it could stand to be lightened some more. She was all for giving her natural color a little more pizzazz. Smooth, clear complexion. No wrinkles.okay, okay, she conceded with a wry grin. Laugh lines made faint impressions around her eyes, making her wish she'd been cursed with a more somber disposition. Until she thought about frown lines. How much fun was it to be constantly pissed off? Not much, she reasoned, deciding laugh lines were okay after all. The mole on the upper lip did wonders for Cindy Crawford, but Abby doubted it gave her added appeal. She was glad the bathroom mirror wasn't floor-length. If she was less than pleased with her face. She turned around, slipping her arms through the robe that'd been hanging on a hook on the back of the bathroom door. She'd lied to Kay. To be more accurate, she'd been only half-truthful. She remembered enough about that night to know Gray Eyes was totally uninterested in her. Some of the details WERE a little fuzzy though, and she hoped to God her memory of a certain bumbled attempt to seduce the man in her drunken state was all a really bad nightmare.  
  
She walked into the kitchen, grabbing a spoon from a drawer and opening up the freezer to withdraw the pint of Rocky Road. The ice cream was deliciously and achingly cold as it slid down her throat, and she pulled an old blanket over her lap, tucking her bare feet beneath her as she settled down on the couch and turned on the television. Reruns, nothing, more reruns. "Why the hell am I paying for this shit?" she wondered aloud, turning the television back off and plunging the room into darkness except for the dim kitchen lights. There was so much to think about, so much on her mind, and the cover of darkness made all the thoughts she'd pushed back during the day come rushing back full-force. Ali. Sweet, innocent Ali so sick it made her heart ache and emotion cloud her brain sometimes. Joshua. Kay's excitement over her son's surgery, and what it would mean. Gray Eyes. Her teen-aged crush on the man, and the futility of wanting someone that didn't want her back. Her brother. The loneliness of being separated from the only person in the world that knew ALL of her and loved her in spite of it, despite being one of the most annoying people on earth. Too many thoughts. Enough magnitude of feeling to make her numb or burst. "To hell with it," she cursed, placing the half-empty pint of ice cream onto the coffee table and pulling the blanket up over her shoulders as she sank into the pillows. The exhaustion that had been creeping up on her all day finally caught up with her as she closed her heavy lids and let sleep overtake her.  
  
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Nick gripped the steering wheel firmly as he drove away from the hospital, images from the scene he'd just left flitting through his mind. Her daddy by her side was the salve to any hurt Ali might suffer, and the little girl had finally found a sort of peace with Luis's arrival. And, he grudgingly admitted to himself, Luis brought with him the comfort Sheridan sought. He'd left them holding on to each other for dear life, overwhelmed and broken but determined to be Ali's strength. Unbidden feelings of jealousy coursed through his veins. Feelings he concentrated on tamping down as he cut through town, remembering Katie's well-intentioned lecture earlier. She was right, and he knew it. But that didn't mean he could turn his feelings off. Just like that. He didn't want to love another man's wife. But the fact of the matter was.he DID. He DID love Sheridan. He'd loved her from the moment he'd first seen her, and he hadn't been able to erase that feeling when fate had stepped in and reunited her with her family. He wanted to be the better guy and step away. Let her live her life with the ones she loved. But he was selfish, and he admitted it to himself. Ali's cancer was devastating, but it had brought Sheridan back into his life. His feelings were a mess that could only mean trouble, and he had no right to pull anyone else down with him. Least of all Abby. And that was exactly why he was going to do his best to keep her at a friendly distance no matter how tempted he was to seek the distraction he knew she could provide. His thoughts and feelings were EVERYWHERE, jagged and bouncing from place to place as he maneuvered the car through the streets, and he paid no attention to the flashing red and blue lights and siren of the ambulance as it sped past him.  
  
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Two cars, twisted mockeries of crushed metal, were empty on a secluded, dangerous stretch of highway. Two occupants in body bags, and another in an ambulance racing along the icy streets to the hospital. Snow drifted gently from the night sky, mingling with the blood that stained the pavement. A policeman questioned a weeping witness whose shoulders hunched under his borrowed jacket. Cars slowed and stopped, curious onlookers wondering at the victims' identities, as the flashing police lights illuminated the scene. And inside one car a cell phone rang insistently. The same name appearing repeatedly as the phone went unheard.  
  
**Miguel**  
Chapter 39  
Snow swirled outside the icy window pane, blanketing the front yard in sheets of white. Theresa let the drapes fall back into place, wrapped her arms firmly around her waist to ward off the encroaching chill, and turned around slowly to look at Chad. "It's getting pretty bad out there. You should have left when you had the chance, Chad. With Mama and Papa. I don't want you driving in this. It could be dangerous." "Who said I was going anywhere?" Chad grinned at her, lifting the edge of the blanket off his lap and inviting her closer.  
  
Theresa smiled and crept forward with a shake of her head. "You never intended to leave. What if Luis hadn't decided to spend the night at the hospital with Sheridan and Ali?" "You think I couldn't handle Luis? He's just your standard overprotective big brother," Chad said, smirking as she cuddled against his side and let out a contented sigh. "You underestimate him," Theresa giggled against his shoulder, snaking her arms around his neck and hiding her cold nose there. She giggled louder when Chad flinched at the unexpected cold contact. "Damn girl. You need some warming up.." Chad was just about to kiss her, when a tired little voice startled them both apart.  
  
"Aunt Theresa.me and Max are cold." The golden retriever's body quivered from head to toe, but Chad had his doubts it was from the weather. "Come here, Little Man. There's plenty of room," he said, smiling as the little boy rubbed his eyes with his fists sleepily and trudged across the room to crawl in between him and Theresa. Max trotting alongside of him. Only Cristian's socked feet peeked out from beneath the blanket, and Theresa made certain the covers were tucked all around him when she felt his little body shiver against her. "Better?" she asked with a kiss to Cristian's cheek. Cristian nodded and curled into her, resting his dark head against her shoulder. "Aunt Theresa.I can't sleep. Will you sing to me like Mommy does?" Cristian's heavy lidded brown eyes drifted shut, Theresa's soft voice lulling him to sleep, and Chad stared into the flickering flames of the fire, wondering just how much worse the storm outside was going to get.  
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Nick turned the key in the lock, pushing the door open slowly and stepping inside. His hand fumbled for the light switch as his gray eyes adjusted to the darkness, and a strange sensation swept over him. He was fairly certain he'd seen Abby's car in the parking lot, but the apartment was too quiet, too dark. She wouldn't go out in this weather. Would she? He shrugged his jacket off of his shoulders and walked toward the kitchen, deciding to leave the lights off. Quiet and dark fitted his mood at the moment. He pulled a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water, his gray eyes drawn to the white flurries of snow obliterating the outside world for the time being, and he shivered as he recalled the rising howl of the wind and cutting chill he'd encountered on the short trip from his car to the steps leading inside.  
  
The roads outside were icy, he remembered. Dangerous, he added mentally, moving from the kitchen and unconsciously gravitating toward Abby's bedroom. The door opened noiselessly, revealing her characteristically rumpled bed with God knows what strewn across it-clothes, books, even some boxes, and he smiled without meaning to. His smile started to fade with the realization that she wasn't in her room. He was back in the kitchen, hand on the phone, glass on the countertop before he had time to rationalize and analyze his actions. He laughed in embarrassment when he spotted the pint of ice cream on the coffee table and lay the phone down.  
  
She didn't stir under his scrutiny, and he allowed himself the moment to study her, pushing down the annoying sense of relief that welled up within him. It wasn't that unusual at all to be worried for ANYBODY outside in this kind of weather, he reasoned, crouching down beside the sofa and letting his gray eyes roam over her slight figure. Her tawny hair framed her face in gentle, damp waves. Her face was scrubbed of her usual light makeup, and her lashes rest against her cheeks giving her a look of innocence that he knew didn't exist. He had to smile at that thought, and he felt a certain disappointment that her hazel eyes were not open and twinkling at him.  
  
He held his breath as she shifted in her sleep, and the blanket slipped further off her shoulders, revealing smooth, lightly tanned skin in the vee where her loosely tied robe came together and one bare shoulder, her arm disappearing in the too-long sleeve. His hand reached to the edge of the blanket, intent on covering her back up, but he changed his mind mid- motion, throwing the blanket from her body and sliding his arms beneath her knees. Abby sighed softly in her sleep as he gathered her close, and Nick tensed when he thought she might wake up. But she didn't, and he soon found himself standing outside her open bedroom door, looking again at the disaster area that was her bed. He held her a little tighter, his mind made up, as he shouldered his own bedroom door open.  
  
She slumped against him, never waking as he slipped one of his faded gray sweatshirts over her head, his hands awkwardly moving over her beneath it, untying the sash of the robe and sliding his palms upward, skimming her sides on his way to her shoulders. Freezing when he grazed the warm flesh of her breast and praying she didn't wake up and slap him silly. "Help me out a little here," he whispered, his lips brushing against her jaw as she unconsciously wound her arms around his neck, and he half-pulled her boneless body into his lap as he struggled to tug the robe down and out from beneath the sweatshirt. Either she was sleeping the sleep of the dead or she'd taken one of those sleeping pills she kept in the medicine cabinet.  
  
He held her close against his chest with one arm while the other pushed the comforter back. The sweatshirt pooled around her knees, and her small hands were swallowed up in the sleeves, and he thought he'd never seen a sight that gave such a funny tug to his heart as he tucked the covers around her. Friendly distance, his brain reminded as he swept a loose strand of tawny hair that had fallen forward and settled over her lips away and found his eyes drawn to her parted mouth. He'd keep his friendly distance he vowed, ignoring the voice inside his head and lowering his head. Abby's breath was a whisper against his skin, and his nose barely touched her own as he gently tugged her soft upper lip into a hint of a kiss. Releasing her with a quick press of his lips to her forehead and affectionate hand through her hair. Friendly distance tomorrow, he promised with new resolve as he gave her sleeping figure one last glance at the doorway. When she didn't look as damned vulnerable as she did tonight.  
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Jake watched the television with bleary brown eyes. The weather guy sounded like he had a cold. Man, it was really coming down now. Not that he needed the weather guy to tell him THAT. All he had to do was look outside the window and listen to his mom and dad. They kept telling him to go to sleep, but he didn't want to get kicked in the head by Sara or Emily. Sleeping with those two was dangerous. More dangerous than sleeping with Cristian, and he kicked a lot. Aunt Grace looked really worried. She kept pacing back and forth, rubbing Joshua's back. Uncle Sam and Coach Russell were talking to Miguel in the kitchen, and Jake couldn't help but feel a little bit of their worry himself. Even MJ looked afraid, refusing to let Mom drag him away from the front window and staring outside, waiting for his mom's headlights to cut through the darkness. Jake had never seen MJ afraid before. His mom STILL hadn't gotten back from the airport, and it'd been too long. She wasn't answering her cell phone, and the news people kept warning people to be careful on the icy roads, and geez! Jake just couldn't sleep with all that on his mind.  
  
"I'm sure she's okay," a soft voice said, and Jake looked up into the kind dark eyes of Dr. Russell. Her words were meant to have a calming effect on them all, but Jake wasn't stupid. Somehow he knew none of them were buying it. Especially not her. He felt his mom's hand on his shoulder as he asked a question Dr. Russell could not answer. "Why won't she call us?" "Maybe her battery died or there's no service or she doesn't want to take her eyes off the road to answer a silly cell phone." Jake thought all his dad's reasons were good, but he couldn't help but frown anyway. "Jake," his mom said lowly, shooting a warning glance toward MJ.  
  
The phone in the kitchen started ringing, and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at it. Aunt Grace stopped pacing, MJ turned around from the window with a hopeful look on his tired face, and Mom and Dad leaned forward in expectation as Dr. Russell stood up straight, her eyes meeting Coach Russell's across the room when Uncle Sam answered the phone. Miguel grabbed the phone from Uncle Sam's hands and started firing off questions. His voice sounded funny as he held the phone out to Coach Russell and stalked across the room, grabbing his jacket, and yanking the front door open. Uncle Sam not too far behind. "Where's my dad going?" MJ looked to Grace for answers. Dr. Russell took the phone from her husband, and Jake watched his mom and dad expectantly as Coach Russell finally spoke. "That was Simone. Her and Whitney's flights are canceled, and they're spending the night in a motel. Kay dropped them off at the airport and left a couple of hours ago." "Damn," Hank swore softly, and Jake felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he watched his mom lay her head on Dad's shoulder. This wasn't good.  
  
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Luis watched the comforting rise and fall of Ali's tiny chest as she snuggled deeper into his wife's arms. Fatigue and exhaustion had finally worn both his girls down, and pale golden lashes framed both their faces in slumber, making them look like peaceful angels. A welcome respite from several hours ago. Not being able to do anything, ANYTHING, to help his baby was killing him, and he hated feeling so helpless. He hated not being able to erase that ever-present worry from Sheridan's pained blue eyes. He hated that all he could do was hold them and nothing else. Holding didn't take away the pain permanently, and he wanted to permanently rid Ali of the sickness that was making her young body betray her.  
  
He leaned down to press a gentle kiss against each of their cheeks, straightening back up and smoothing a hand over Ali's damp golden hair, letting his fingertips linger across the corners of Sheridan's parted mouth for just a moment before he withdrew them. He needed some fresh air. Needed to stretch his cramped muscles. And he knew he would probably wake them both from much needed rest with his restlessness if he stayed in the room so he pushed the door open and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. It was empty, and his footsteps echoed loudly against the tiled floor as he strode past the nurses' desk, neglecting to wave at them since they were immersed in gossip and didn't look up at him.  
  
Words and excerpts of their whispered conversation reached him as he waited for the elevator doors to open. "Nasty accident.two dead.drunk driving or the icy conditions?.survivor in critical condition.rumor had it.Chief Bennett's daughter." Luis whirled on his heels, a prickly sensation making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. "Excuse me," he demanded of one of the nurses. He vaguely recognized her as Ellie-something. "Ellie, right?" Ellie nodded, annoyed at the interruption of her latest tell-all session, but Luis ignored the not-so-hidden eye roll she gave the other nurse before she gave him her full attention. "Did you just say Chief Bennett's daughter?"  
  
"You were listening?" she grumbled in protest before Luis cut her off. "Was Chief Bennett's daughter brought in tonight? Is she all right? Are you certain she's seriously hurt." "What's with the twenty questions? I don't know. Who's she to.oh.oh, I've seen her around. Visiting the kid.Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be ru." "How bad is she?" Luis asked, face pale and brown eyes filled with dread. The other nurse's voice softened to a whisper as she delivered news Luis would have rather not heard, "She's bad, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. She was really messed up. Call her family. She needs them here."  
Chapter 40  
Sheridan woke with a start, apprehension unsettling her as her blue eyes roamed Ali's small, huddled form. Her face hovered just inches from Ali's sweet, sleep-relaxed face, and she felt relief infuse her body when she felt Ali's gentle breath against her own face. Some relief, but something was still bothering her. Something was wrong. Her voice was soft and trembling as she called out for her husband. "Luis. Luis?" She removed her arms from Ali very carefully, turning around on her side and looking to the vacant extra bed that occupied the hospital room. She smoothed her hands over her wrinkled blouse then raked one through her short, tousled blond hair, gazing down at her daughter for a second longer in indecision.  
  
Common sense told her Luis's absence from the room was nothing save a need for fresh air and exercise, but instinct had her blood running cold, and she wrapped her arms around her waist as she shivered. Her lips were lingering against Ali's golden brow, and she feathered her fingers through the sweat-dampened strands at Ali's temples lovingly. Her voice a whisper, "Sleep, Angel. Mommy'll be right back." Ali moaned softly in response, "Mommy" escaping her lips in a sigh as Sheridan eased the hospital door open and shut, striding down the hall. The nurse's offer to stay with Ali surprised her, and her heart was in her throat as Ellie informed her of Luis's whereabouts. She didn't wait on the elevator, choosing instead to take the stairs. With one thought racing through her mind.This could not be happening.  
  
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Gwen's hand stroked Sara's brown hair absently. Gently. A silent prayer a litany in her mind as her eyes connected with the tortured brown of her husband's across the crowded waiting room. Every face she recognized. Family. Friends. Waiting as time seemed to drag and become infinite. A nurse glared at T.C., angered at his blatant refusal to follow hospital rules as he pleaded with his daughters to be careful, to turn back, get off the icy roads. At least wait until morning light. Gwen didn't have to hear Simone and Whitney's side of the cell phone conversation to know they would listen to their father's wishes, but they would not follow them. Eve had her arm around Grace. Not bothering to offer comforting words because no words offered comfort here. Now. None. Kay was in an OR, clinging to life while MJ clung to Miguel as his lifeline.  
  
It was MJ's resolute refusal to stay behind that prompted Gwen to pack up the children and follow Hank and Grace to the hospital. A foolish decision maybe, but the only decision she could make. No matter how angry it'd made Hank. He still hadn't completely forgiven her for putting herself and the children in a potentially dangerous position, but she knew he understood it. She watched him rub his hand over Jake's brown spikes, and she felt a lump rising in her throat when Jake wound his arms around Hank's waist and tucked his dark head beneath his arm. For all his bravado and grown-up self-assurance, Jake was a little boy at heart. Totally and completely his dad's little buddy, she thought with a smile. She felt tiny fingers pat her arm, and she struggled to keep her smile on her face as she ran a finger down Joshua's silky cheek. "Mommy," Emily whispered, clutching one of her cousin's little hands in her own. "He has to go to the bathroom."  
  
Sara's melancholy brown eyes blinked up at her from her lap, and Gwen patted her daughter's cheek, preparing to get up, but Luis's voice stopped her. "I'll take him," he said, scooping the toddler up into his strong arms. "Thanks," Gwen murmured, watching Luis disappear down the hall toward the restrooms, little Joshua's deep brown, knowing eyes watching her the entire time. Sara shifted, removing her head from Gwen's lap and sitting up in her chair, scooting over to let Emily sit beside her. "How did you know he wanted to go to the bathroom?" she asked her sister, kicking her dangling, sneakered feet back and forth in the air. Emily shrugged her slim shoulders. "I dunno. I just did." "Are you psycho, Emily?" Sara wondered. Gwen stopped short of scolding her young daughter when she realized it was a genuine mistake. She laughed softly as she corrected her. "I think you mean psychic, Sara. And I doubt very much Emily is. But she and Joshua ARE close, and she knows him." "Oh," Sara considered the possibility that her mom might be right. "Okay," Sara muttered disappointedly a second later. Having a psychic sister would have been fun. "Look. There's Sheridan," she pointed.  
  
Gwen's brown eyes sought out the figure of her friend, finding her in Luis's arms, trying and failing to hide her emotional response to Kay's accident from the children. Emily slipped from her seat beside Sara and walked toward Joshua, taking his hand and leading him back to the small children's table in the corner, generously handing him her colors and coloring book. Gwen opened her arms to Sheridan as Luis led her to the vacant seat beside her. Sheridan wiped the tears away from her blue eyes with shaky fingers, and she leaned into Gwen's sisterly embrace gratefully. Sara watched them with great interest, knowing as only a child could that things with Kay were much worse than the grown-ups would tell her. Jake glanced over at them, and Gwen knew her son was wondering about Ali. Probably worrying about her being alone. He had a chance to voice his worry when he followed Hank to the row of chairs where they sat.  
  
Hank shoved his hands through his brown hair nervously, his brown eyes never straying from his brother's haggard face, and his words were slow and careful as he spoke, "Jess is coming in on the first flight she can get out. Has anybody called Tink? Kay would want Abby here..." he trailed off. "I'll do it," Gwen offered. "Sheridan, would you mind." Jake slumped in the seat beside Sheridan. "I bet MJ wishes he'd been a lot nicer to her the last time he saw her," Jake muttered. "If that was my mom in there." Sheridan's gaze drifted to MJ's stricken face. Sara's brown eyes were wide and serious as she agreed with her brother. Sheridan's smile was sad as she reassured both children that Kay knew MJ loved her no matter what, and he didn't have to worry about that. "I'm still going to be good for my mom from now on," Sara vowed, and Sheridan's smile started to reach her eyes. Sweet sentiments, but these WERE the children of Hank Bennett she was looking at. Jake's grin was lopsided as he looked at his sister out of the corner of his brown eyes, and Sheridan laughed softly as she leaned forward on impulse and kissed the lovable clone's forehead. Then that of his sister. Her blue eyes twinkled at the children's twin gestures of wiping the unwanted kisses away, but deep down she knew.it was all an act.  
  
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Abby stretched, her feet pushing the tangled covers at her feet further down. Some distant noise drawing her out of her deep sleep. Her arm swept across the cool sheets. What the.Hazel eyes blinked open and stared down at her own hand, clenching midnight-colored sheets. Midnight-colored sheets? What the hell! Sheets, period! If memory served her correct, she'd fallen asleep on the couch with a blanket covering her. And.where was her damn robe? The gray sweatshirt's sleeves kept falling down her arms, making her hands disappear, and she looked to the foot of the bed where the rest of the bedding remained. Goosebumps pebbled her flesh as she registered the sensation of the cool air on her bare legs, and she sat upright with a groan.  
  
This wasn't her room. She wasn't wearing her clothes. And she was in someone else's bed with no memory of how she got there. Nick's bed. "Dammit all to hell," she swore. Leave it her to sleep through all the good stuff. She wanted to be awake when her favorite doctor undressed her. Hell. She wanted that moment to be tattooed on the man's eyelids so he could never forget it. Looked like that wasn't happening. Where was he anyway, she wondered. Obviously she had been out of it or he wouldn't have taken the initiative and put her in here. Would it have killed the man to have taken advantage of her just the tiniest bit? Not even that really. Was the idea of holding her THAT bad, she wondered, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and placing them on the floor. She didn't know if she were more pissed with the probability that he hadn't been tempted to do anything or that he HAD been. Could she be more screwed up?  
  
She padded out of the bedroom, unfazed to find him on the sofa in the living room, his handsome face lit by the flickering images of the television. His stricken expression, however, DID surprise her, and when he looked up at her with sympathy-filled gray eyes and ended the telephone conversation in a hushed voice, she started to feel an unexplainable feeling of sickness and dread spread through her consciousness. Nick's hand fumbled for her own, and her fingers felt clammy against his warmth as he squeezed them gently. Was it Ali? "Nick." Her hazel eyes searched his face, his intense gray eyes, as he stood up and cupped his palms around her face. Okay. The sneaking suspicion of a nightmarish twist coming was completely ruining the effect of fantasy number 9 coming true. Her heart thudded somewhere in the vicinity of her throat as his thumbs caressed her lips, and he looked at her with that expression she'd never seen before but always hoped to see.like all he saw was her. "It's Kay. She was in an accident, and Gwen said it isn't looking good." Abby's mouth hung open in astonishment, and all she felt was numbness as Nick drew her into his arms, holding her up and holding her tightly. 


	9. Chapter 41

Chapter 41  
"Hey, Doc! You look like hell!" "Right back at you, George," Abby muttered, none too kindly. On a normal day, George grated on her nerves. On a day like today.two days after Kay's accident with her nerves strung high and fatigue and worry making it difficult for her to even see straight, Abby decided not to hold back her true feelings for George anymore and let her inner bitch out to play. Already George's muddy brown eyes were narrowing at her in confusion, and Abby sent up a quick thanks to God that George had sense enough not to try to cop a feel in her current irate state. Usually the man was all over her. And necessity didn't have a damn thing to do with it. George's wheelchair was more a ploy to milk out every last drop of sympathy and compensation he could. Prop or not, it'd still look bad if she delivered a 'real' crippling blow to the groping bastard's groin, and she'd been on her best behavior for weeks now. Today all bets were off. If he so much as leered at her, she'd.she'd.  
  
"Well, maybe you don't look like hell. Maybe a little tired. Something going on?" "Mind your own business, George," she sighed, 'helping' him to the bars. "Come on," George grinned, letting his arm hang just a tad too low on her shoulder and his hand wander. His breath reeked of tobacco. "I know you don't really mean that.How about me and you go out for a drink? It'd loosen you up a bit." Abby shoved his questing hand away and glared at him as menacingly as she could given his definite height advantage. "Not on your life, George. You're nothing but a damn fraud who doesn't know how to keep his disgusting hands to himself," she snapped. "No more. Get yourself a new physical therapist," she advised him, stalking out of the room. She didn't worry one bit about leaving him alone. The jerk probably strutted back to his chair with one of those slimy grins he'd apparently patented on his face. Let him grin, she thought. He should be grinning. In relief. Thanks to much of her mind being elsewhere, he'd practically slipped beneath her radar. He was lucky she hadn't beat the shit out of him. She DID know kung-fu, after all.  
  
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Eve pursed her lips as she watched Grace wring her hands tensely. The whole purpose of this quick lunch, if you could call it that given the fact they were in the hospital cafeteria, was to calm Grace's nerves. To give her a chance to relax somewhat after two days of tireless vigil. "Grace," Eve sighed, reaching out a hand to cover Grace's restless ones. "Miguel and Simone are with her. Sam's got the boys. They'll be all right." Grace made a conscious effort to still her hands in her lap, reaching out a second later to bring the cup of tepid tea to her lips. "I know," she spoke softly. "I just can't.I just wish she'd wake up, Eve. Why isn't she waking up?" Eve's silence disturbed Grace, and she lowered her head to her hands on the table, raking her fingers through her messy auburn hair. Then she straightened, sitting tall in her seat and forcing a bit of hopefulness into her voice. "She's going to wake up," Grace whispered. "She is, and then she's going to laugh at all of us for being so worried about her. And she's going to tease Jessica about dragging Faith and Myles to Harmony against their will." Eve laughed softly. That sounded about right.  
  
Grace fell into step beside Eve as they walked out of the cafeteria, and they made comforting small talk. Nurses and a couple of doctors Grace was vaguely familiar with stopped them to offer their condolences, and Grace felt a bitter taste rise up in the back of her throat. They were talking to her like Kay was already gone. They were talking to her like there was no more hope, and she had to believe there was. She had to believe hope existed everywhere. She had to, she reminded herself as she and Eve passed by the wing that led to the children's cancer ward, and she was reminded of Ali. She glanced at Eve wordlessly, and Eve offered her a grim smile and a gentle squeeze to her hand. "She'll come through. They both will. We can go visit her later if you'd like. Luis and Sheridan decided not to tell her about Kay yet so we'll have to be real careful." "Later," Grace interrupted her with a nod of understanding. "Maybe there'll be no need."  
  
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"That's a beautiful picture, Lissy," Theresa smiled, crouching down beside the little girl's chair. Lissy's chocolate brown eyes were solemn as she tucked a loose strand of tawny hair back behind one ear and studied Theresa. Chad was across the Youth Center playing basketball with the boys. "Who's it for?" "This one is for Ali telling her how much we miss her at school," Lissy pointed to the brightly colored card in front of her. "We're all going to sign it," she informed Theresa, "and Jake's going to take it to her. This one," she pointed to another card beside her, "is for MJ and Joshua's mom." Theresa's brown eyes misted over as she read the list of names scrawled in childish handwriting across the poster paper. Almost every child in the Youth Center had signed it already with a few more to go. She recognized Emily's painstakingly penned signature and flashed a small smile at Gwen's thoughtful little daughter. Sara's letters were bolder, sloppier. And her eyes narrowed as she spotted a single letter M. "That's Myles's," Faith told her, and Theresa jumped, startled to find Jessica's strawberry locked daughter's unnerving blue eyes staring at her. "He doesn't know how to do the rest yet," Faith explained, "and he wouldn't let me finish it."  
  
Theresa laughed softly and winked at the little boy with the shy, dimpled smile. She had the strangest feeling that three-year-old Reese was in the room with her. Myles's babyish cheeks blushed a bright pink, and Faith rolled her eyes at her little brother and sighed loudly. "What is it, Faith?" Theresa inquired, straightening up and gazing down at the child in consternation. "Nothing," Faith muttered. "Do you know how long my mom's going to be at the hospital? Why couldn't me and Myles go with Grandpa and MJ and Joshua? I don't like it here. It's boring. The boys won't let me play basketball with them, and Jake's ignoring me. Everybody's sad or ignoring me. I want to go home. To Chicago," she emphasized. "And I hate daycare." "Daycare?" Sara's nose scrunched up in disgust. "This is daycare? I don't like daycare either." "Sara," Theresa struggled to keep her waning patience intact. "This isn't daycare. It's.it's.different. You're just here until your mom gets off of work or your dad comes to get you." Faith crossed her arms over her small chest and shared a look with Sara. "It's daycare," she repeated, making Theresa groan. She mouthed the word 'HELP' when she saw Whitney appear in the doorway.  
  
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The images on the newspaper before Ivy's blue-green eyes blurred and her hand shook as it brought the coffee mug to her lips absently. She winced when it felt too hot to her touch, and her hand jerked the mug back reflexively, making steaming brown liquid slosh over the sides and stain the paper a dull brown. "Mother?" Ethan's voice held a note of concern. "Are you okay?" Ivy looked up into her son's blue eyes so like his father's and offered him a reassuring smile before looking back at the short article below. "I was thinking, Mother." Ethan began, pausing to take a seat across from her. "Yes, Ethan?" Ivy murmured, studying Kay's solemn image and searching unconsciously for any similarities, any shared features between her and her own son. "Mother," Ethan repeated. His voice stronger as his hand reached out to cover her own. "Sheridan told me they're only letting immediate family in to see her, but I was thinking, Mother, that we should go to the hospital and let them know that we're thinking of her, too." And Dr. Russell's own daughter Simone, Ivy wondered silently. Was she family? Did she have anymore right than Eth.She shook her head of such thoughts. Too much time had passed. Too many lives at stake to selfishly 'right' a past mistake now. What good would it do except cause more pain, she reasoned. "I think that would be nice," she finally spoke. When it looked like Ethan was on the verge of worrying about her once more. "Why don't you see if Beth wants to come?"  
  
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Hank watched Jessica and Simone embrace, their tears mingling, with a terrible lump blocking his throat. He ran his hands through his disheveled dark hair repeatedly, fighting for some semblance of control. Morning and afternoon of three days had passed, and nothing. NOTHING. This was bullshit! He was getting angry. This was such a Kay thing to do. Make them suffer while she put a big one over on them. But it wasn't funny this time. It was so far from funny.he wanted to put his fist through the plaster and concrete, without a care to the pain he knew that action would bring. His fist clenched at his side, and he was all set to do it when he felt a calming, cool hand on his arm and her breath against his neck as she wrapped her arms around him from behind and pressed her forehead against his temple. "Don't do it, Bennett. Don't." she cried, her lips brushing along his jawline. And the anger started to seep away, replaced by sadness. But not resignation. Not yet. "It isn't fair, Babe. She had.she has everything going for her.Joshua was supposed to have his surgery a couple days ago.he's never known her voice.he might never.and MJ.it isn't fair.God, this is going to kill Sam." Gwen wrapped her arms around his waist tighter and buried her tear-streaked face deeper into the crook of his neck. "I know, Bennett. I know." "I got.I got to get out of here," Hank cried, pushing himself away from the wall and squeezing his wife's hand. His reddened brown eyes looked up to find puffy-rimmed hazel, and Gwen stepped back, biting her lip to keep back her own sobs as Hank pulled Abby's sobbing form against him hard and tucked her securely in his arms. "Damn her for making me cry," Abby swore, clutching fistfuls of Hank's sweater in her hands. "Damn her."  
  
Eve swiped her fingers across her cheeks carelessly, almost embarrassed by her display of emotion as she hugged her own daughter tighter. Almost ashamed by her relief. Grace's daughter instead of hers. Her best friend's daughter. T.C's best friend's daughter. Simone sniffled against her shoulder, and Eve knew her make-up was going to ruin her white lab coat. But she didn't care. She didn't care because God had granted her a miracle and delivered both of her daughters back to her that night. Safe and sound when He hadn't been so kind to Grace and Sam. Guilt and relief warred within her heart, and she couldn't tell which emotion she felt most strongly as she watched them. A family in grief for something that seemed more inevitable by the passing hour. She wondered why Jessica wasn't inside with the rest of them. She hoped in her heart of hearts that there still was hope, and what she feared was occurring inside a hospital room just feet away was NOT. She hoped in the face of dwindling hope as her dark eyes noted the appearances of a rising number of appearing faces. Pilar and Theresa and Luis ready to present a united front for Miguel. Sheridan rocking Cristian in a corner, crooning to him with his enormous, sad brown eyes. Chad seated beside them, his dark eyes speaking to her across the room. Her mind drifted to the rest of the children, and she was glad she didn't have to witness the same awful mix of awareness/confusion creep into their innocent little faces. Eyes. She didn't know if she could bear that.  
  
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Sam closed his eyes at the slight pressure of the doctor's hand on his shoulder before he walked out. He closed his ears to Grace's soft cries as she stroked Kay's black hair from her face and whispered to her quietly. All the while holding Kay's hand to her heart. He didn't want to remember the pain in Jessica's blue eyes earlier as the doctor crushed the last vestiges of their hope. He didn't place any blame on his youngest daughter for not being able to stay. After the tubes and wires were removed. After the ventilator was shut off. Surviving the accident had been one miracle. Making it through surgery had been another. Hanging on after this evening's cardiac arrest was his daughter's iron determination to give them all a chance to say their goodbyes. Sam walked up to his wife, his daughter, and wrapped a supporting arm around Grace's shoulders as his fingers reached out to brush Kay's pale cheek. "Oh, Sam," Grace sobbed, crumpling against his side as Joshua tugged on his mother's still arm. Grace cradled Joshua against her chest after he'd pressed a baby-sweet kiss to Kay's cool cheek, rising with difficulty from her chair and walking away. Unable to meet Miguel and MJ's tortured dark eyes. Sam stroked the back of Kay's hand, cupping it around his cheek and kissing her palm. A father doing the one thing he never wanted to do. "Nobody ever made me prouder," he whispered, his lips moving gently across her dark brow in a final kiss. "I love you," he breathed, pushing himself to his feet and shuffling toward the door. Leaving two yet to cry any tears. He closed the door behind him, grabbing Grace and Joshua close and reaching for Jessica. And then he heard it.MJ's anguished screams.  
  
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Martin blinked, his eyes adjusting to the darkness and his hands fumbling for the overhead light as Ali's sleepy voice broke the silence he'd grown accustomed to in the last hour. "Grandpa Martin." "Yes," he said softly, brushing Ali's pale hair from her face and comforting himself by watching the steady rise and fall of her tiny chest. "I had a dream," she told him, rubbing at her blue eyes with her fists. "Tell me about it," he encouraged, taking her small hand between his own and stroking her tiny fingers, lulling her and soothing her in case the dream had been a bad one. "Who was in your dream, Lass?" Ali's eyelids drooped heavily as she told him. "Pooh." a lost teddy bear Luis'd told him she'd carried everywhere in the months following her mother's disappearance. "Mr. Ribbitt." the frog? He smiled fondly at her in the dim light. "You dreamed about Mr. Ribbitt?" "Uh huh," she sighed, the corners of her sweet mouth crinkling up at his amusement. "And he was all better." "Who else?" he asked, kissing her little fingertips and cupping her hand around his cheek. "Nana Katherine." Martin's brow rose in surprise. But not total surprise. Even dead, Katherine was a big part of her daughter and granddaughter's lives. Sheridan and Pilar had made certain of that. "Nana Katherine's so pretty, Grandpa Martin." Ali sighed. "Like Mommy." "That she was," Martin agreed softly. "She was there with Uncle Julian, and she was smiling and saying I had a new guardian angel, Grandpa Martin." Martin felt his heart clench inside his chest with awareness, and a little bit of sadness crept into his voice as he spoke. "Another one? You're a lucky girl. A lucky girl indeed. Wh.Who?" Ali's golden lashes fluttered against her cheeks, and her hand went lax against his cheek. "Aunt Kay's new dress is pretty," Ali breathed, sleep stealing over her once more.  
Chapter 42  
Martin's thumb moved across the knuckles of his wife's tightly clenched hand unconsciously as Father Lonagin's steady voice filled the church. Somber candlelight bathed its interior in flickering shadows, obscuring Miguel's face from view. By his side sat his two sons. Two little boys dressed in their Sunday best to say goodbye to their mother. Joshua was awarded the ignorance of the very young while MJ stared fixedly at his feet, as stone-faced as his father. Martin lifted his eyes, directing his gaze to where Kay lay, and he thought back to his first meeting of the girl.the first time he lay eyes on his young grandson.Miguel's proud introduction and the happiness in all of them.  
  
*@*@*"There's someone I want you to meet, Papa," he said. Stepping back. Putting his arm around a pretty dark-haired young woman. A small child nestled in her arms. "Papa, this is Kay. My wife." He brought her hand to his lips with a smile. Delighting in her soft laughter. "And this," Miguel said, taking the small bundle from her, "is my son. MJ. He's named after you."  
  
He looked to Miguel in surprise. Then back to the tiny infant. Arms waving back and forth. Curious dark eyes studying him intently. An impossibly huge smile tugging at the corners of his mouth once again. "Can I?" he asked. Holding his arms out. Miguel handed the child over to him. Running an affectionate hand over the baby's downy dark head before stepping back. Allowing grandfather and grandson to get acquainted.  
  
"Hello there, wee one. I'm your grandpa. The old man you're named after," he said in jest. Earning a smile from MJ. Then laughter. "He thinks you're funny, Grandpa Martin," Ali giggled. He looked at her in surprise. Getting used to being called Grandpa was something he was looking forward to. Very much. He just smiled at her before gazing into his wife's dark eyes. He had so much to look forward to. There were still many questions to be asked, and so many answers. But those would wait. Right now, he wanted to enjoy this moment. To the fullest. *@*@*  
  
It seemed like it were just yesterday he was welcomed back into his family's fold, and he came to know each and every one of them better than ever before. Just like yesterday, and not enough time. There would never be enough time on this earth for him to love them as he wanted, and he hated that his young namesake and Joshua were being cheated out of something so special. He felt Pilar's fingers tighten around his own, and he squeezed them back reassuringly. Willing some of her hurt and anxiety to dissipate and wanting to unburden her. It was all he could do.  
  
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Tears made Ivy's throat constrict as Grace's trembling voice spoke so lovingly of her daughter. The tissue crumpled in her fist as her gaze drifted to Sam's broken figure, his shoulders hunched and shaking slightly. Jessica's forehead rest against his shoulder like that of a little girl, and Ivy's blue-green eyes followed the line of the strong hand that gripped the back of Sam's neck up a muscled arm to broad shoulders. Shying away from his piercing gaze. Eyes startling in color, vivid and so like Sam's she felt herself-her body and her mind-being transported back to another time and place so many years ago.  
  
She shook her head slightly to ward off the memories, forcing her focus back on Grace. She was saying something about adulthood strengthening her and Kay's relationship, about the regret that it hadn't happened sooner. Ivy knew all about regrets. Her life had been etched with regret for as long as she could remember, she mused. Thinking back to a time when she had to accept the painful truth that sometimes easing those regrets wasn't the best thing to do for others. Ali was missing.families were pulling together.and she was faced once again with the reality of her past decisions.  
  
*@*@*"What's going on here?" Chad asked as they walked back inside. And saw Hank in a frenzied state by Gwen's side. "Nothing," Gwen bit out. " Just the baby kicking up a storm," she lied. Wincing. Off Theresa's look of concern she continued. "Really. It's nothing serious. Jake kicked me black and blue when I carried him. I have to admit, Theresa," she laughed nervously. "I thought I'd never see the day when you were worried about ME," she finished. Moaning softly. "Damn. Bennett! This kid of yours would make a great soccer player."  
  
"Haha, Babe. Funny," Hank said humorously. "Quit lying. I can read you like an open book. Pilar? Would you call the hospital and tell them we're coming in?" "Yes, Hank," she answered. Picking up the phone and dialing the number. "Kay?" "Don't worry, Uncle Hank. I'll watch Jake for you. Now go. Get Gwen to the hospital and have her and the baby checked out. All this stress can't be good for either of them." "Thank you," Hank said. Grinning slightly. "Have I ever told you that you're my favorite niece?" he said. Kissing her forehead in goodbye. "Oh.once or twice," she smirked. Squeezing Gwen's hand reassuringly as she walked past.  
  
"Call us," Gwen called over her shoulder as they walked out the door. "Call us if there's any news about Ali." "We will," Grace smiled. Answering for them all. The minute she heard the car crank, though, the smile on her face faltered. "I hope Gwen's right. And it's nothing serious. I can't bear to think of this endless night getting any worse. Kay, honey. Do you mind if I go check on MJ? I need to.I need to see him." "I'll go with you," Kay said softly. Linking her arms through her mother's.  
  
Ivy watched them go. Seeing the love they had for each other. And realizing she didn't want to break that up. Not anymore. They were a family. Ethan and his brother and sisters and Sheridan were hers. That's the way it would always be. She sighed. Getting to her feet. Pacing restlessly. "Mother," Ethan said gently. Placing his hands on her shoulders and forcing her to stop. "Mother," he said pointedly. "Wearing a hole in Sheridan and Luis's carpet is not going to help matters any." "Oh, Ethan," she said. Cupping his cheek. "I can't sit still. Why haven't we heard anything yet? Luis and Sam should have found out by now." *@*@*  
  
Giving and taking comfort from each other. That's what loved ones did best. What family, in its purest intention, should do best, Ivy thought with a shaky sigh as she felt Ethan's gentle hand on her arm. She smiled tearfully at him, removing his hand from her arm and enfolding it in her own to bring their interlinked fingers to her cheek. She held on tightly to her son's hand as Sam rose on unsteady feet and walked to the front of the church. Families loved and hated and laughed and cried and clung and pushed each other away, but through it all, they stood the test of time. Even if it sometimes seemed like it would kill them.  
  
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For once, it wasn't hard to stay quiet or be still. For Jake, it was actually the easiest thing to do as his brown eyes roamed around. He couldn't look at the grown-ups. Their tears and sad, unseeing eyes made his chest hurt something awful, and his breath wanted to hitch in his throat painfully. So he didn't look at them. He scanned his surroundings, grateful that he could count the number of times he'd actually been in them on one hand. Just past Jessica and Noah (why was it some grown-ups only came home for funerals? Or weddings?), a tall monument of a headstone stood. Ancient dates engraved into its surface.  
  
Jake's young mind calculated the time that had passed between the two dates easily, and he felt a stab of fright in his valiant young heart, his brown eyes belying an older age as they focused on his scuffed dress shoes. He felt like he had something in his eye, maybe dirt, he thought as he swiped at his eyes silently. He glanced at his little sisters, holding hands, out of the corner of his misty dark eyes. A little kid's grave. A little kid not much older than Sara and Emily, closer to Ali's age. A little kid who maybe had an older brother like him that picked on her and teased her and never told her how much he really did love her because stuff like that was too mushy.  
  
He wondered if that was how Jessica felt. He wondered if Noah wished he had been around more. He wondered why people had to die in the first place and make everyone all sad. He hated being all sad, and already he missed Kay. Missed her and her annoying teasing more than he would ever admit. He wondered a lot of things, but he didn't dare ask as he fumbled for his dad's gloved hand, keeping his eyes downcast. Father Lonagin's voice was a whisper against the cold bluster of wind and tears.  
  
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Joshua cried as the car crept along the road, back to his grandparents' house, and Luis knew it was already beginning. The ache that came with missing someone you never thought you'd lose. Ali had been younger when Sheridan 'died', but her tears hadn't been any less. They kept him awake at night, made him want to curse the injustice of it all. Luis knew better perhaps than anyone what his brother and children would go through, suffer in the following months. Luis knew the future ahead would seem like nothing but a struggle, especially in the beginning. Birthdays, special anniversaries would come and go, despite their unbearable reminders of a different past, a happier past. Time would pass and meaning would slowly seep back into the everyday things and the wounds in their hearts would patch themselves up but never fully heal. Luis knew better than anyone, and it was tearing him up inside to have to stand on the sidelines and watch Miguel relive his very own nightmare.  
  
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Simone moved around the Bennett house in a fog. She felt a void in her heart. A black hole that hadn't existed before, not even during her and Kay's adolescent squabbles and petty disagreements when they purposefully cut themselves off from each other. Back then, she'd felt like a part of her was missing, if only for a day. Like a limb that was no longer a part of her body, but still ached anyway. She still felt Kay then. They still had that connection. But now.now she wasn't so sure. Friendship transcended many things, but she wondered if the same still held true with Heaven and Hell. She wanted to feel the connection, but she was having a hard time feeling anything past her own blinding hurt. Even her sister's soothing embrace amidst the quiet devastation and turmoil.  
  
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Slowly and surely, their numbers had dwindled, Abby thought as she let herself into her apartment. One by one they had scattered, leaving the wounded to their own defenses, however reluctantly. Memories replayed in her mind, a continuous replay of every word, every confidence shared. She raked her fingers through her tawny hair, shaking all the pins free and letting it tumble past her shoulders as she walked toward the kitchen. Her hazel eyes darted to the kitchen table, almost expecting to see Kay smirking back at her. But finding no one. Her hand shook--cold had seeped deep into her bones earlier in the day and wouldn't leave her--as she removed a half-empty bottle of wine from the refrigerator and set it on the kitchen counter while she searched for a glass. She found one, and all the anger and frustration inside her bubbled over when wine sloshed over the sides of the glass, dripping onto the counter. The bottle shattered on the tile floor, making a horrible crash. She bent to pick up the shards of glass, exhaling air in a surprised gasp when she felt a hand close over her shoulder. The understanding in Nick's gray eyes made her want to cry all the tears she'd refused to cry that afternoon, and she ducked her head as she hurried from the kitchen, shutting and locking the bathroom door behind her. Echoes of words she couldn't take back ringing in her ears.  
  
"Who says there's going to be a next time?"  
  
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Nick deposited the last jagged pieces of the wine bottle into the trash and tossed the soiled rag into the sink before heading toward the bathroom. He raised a hesitant hand to the door but didn't knock. He could hear her tears over the noise of the running water inside so he decided to give her a few more moments of privacy. He leaned back against the wall opposite the bathroom door and waited. Faint shuffling sounds reached his ears, and the sound of running water stopped just seconds before the door creaked open slowly, and he was met Abby's questioning hazel eyes. Her voice was soft and slightly hoarse from her tears as she presented her back to him trustingly. "The zipper.it's stuck.I can't."  
  
His hands were steady though his blood rushed through his veins a little quicker as his knuckles brushed her bare skin, inching the zipper down and parting the black material, and she shivered beneath his hands. He sucked in a surprised breath when he discovered her absence of a bra, and his thumb caressed the edges of the brightly colored design resting at the small of her back fleetingly before his mind took over, his hands falling to his sides. Her hazel eyes burned into his own eyes when she turned around, and he forced his gaze from hers, afraid of what she might see in his eyes at that particular moment in time. A feeling he wasn't willing to admit to yet. A feeling that wasn't supposed to exist. Especially not now. He nodded his head in acceptance of her thanks and waited for the sound of her bedroom door closing before her stepped into his own room, some ridiculous notion making him leave it open in case she needed him.  
  
He stripped his tee-shirt over his dark head, draping it across the chair at the foot of his bed. His fingers twisted the small knob on the lamp until the room was bathed in darkness, the only light the faint glow from the town streetlights outside as he pulled the covers back and crawled into the bed. He sat up quickly when Abby appeared in his doorway, arms wrapped tightly around her own body. Hazel eyes looked up at him in apology when he pushed himself to his feet and crossed the room to her, pulling her arms away and replacing them with his own. Her nose was cold against the warm skin of his chest, and she laughed softly as she leaned her head back to look up into his gray eyes. "I feel like Chilly Willy." He smiled at her as he brushed her silky hair back from her face. "The cold won't go away," she told him, shuddering at that moment as if to prove her point.  
  
He moved to the foot of the bed, grabbing the first thing he lay hands on and turned back to her. His faded gray sweatshirt. He hadn't washed it since the last time she'd worn it, and her scent still clung to the material. He looked away uncomfortably as she slid the sleeves of the black dress from her arms and started tugging the material down her body, letting it pool around her bare feet. His eyes jerked back to hers as her fingers brushed against his, closing in on the sweatshirt in his hands. He turned his back on her as he crawled back into bed, strangely mesmerized by her reflection in the window as she slid the sweatshirt over her nude upper body. Some crazy impulse within made him speak out when she moved to leave the room and him, and he held the blankets open in invitation. The mattress shifted under her slight weight only a second later, and he wrapped his arms around her waist as tightly as he could without hurting her, pulling her back against him and sharing his warmth. Resting his head on the pillow beside her tawny one. He could hear the amusement in her voice as it left her throat in a near-hum, and his lips curved into a smile as he pressed them into the soft skin behind her ear. "Somehow this wasn't what I expected when you finally invited me into your bed."  
Chapter 43  
A child's giggles echoed in the hall before her, and Katie looked up, a smile on her face as she spotted Mr. Cristian Lopez-Fitzgerald himself. She lay the chart in her hands down in front of her and stepped around the corner of the nurse's desk, surprising Cristian so much he jumped at least two feet in the air before Theresa grabbed his little hand. "And what, may I ask," she paused, bending at the waist to tug his snowflake-covered hat off his dark head, "is so funny?" Cristian's enormous brown eyes flitted up to his aunt and then back to her, a smile on his face as he shrugged his small shoulders. "Nothing," he told her, laughing some more as she wagged her finger beneath his nose, her eyes drawn to the suspicious bulge beneath his jacket. "What you got in there? My Christmas present?" she teased. Cristian frowned. Slightly confused. "But Christmas."  
  
"I'm just teasing ya, Silly," Katie laughed. "Really.what you got inside there?" "Nothing," Cristian repeated. Katie tugged her bottom lip between her teeth to prevent herself from laughing. Neither Ali nor Cristian were good liars. Their eyes gave them away every time. It was almost like 'I'm lying' was flashing boldly and brightly in Cristian's dark orbs. If the muffled meow that escaped at that precise moment, and the sight of the bulge actually moving weren't enough to crack Katie up, the utter panic on Cristian's face would have had her. Through sheer determination, she kept a straight face as she straightened up, ruffling Cristian's hair affectionately. "What are you waiting for? Shoo. Ali's been looking forward to seeing you all day."  
  
The little boy's relief was so great it made her AND Theresa smile, and they watched him scramble down the hall and disappear into Ali's hospital room before turning to face one another again. Theresa's brown eyes were sparkling as she thanked her. "Just don't get caught," Katie advised with a small laugh. "Aren't you going in." "Actually," Theresa said slowly, "I thought I'd give them some time to themselves. He's missed them both so much this past week, and I didn't want to intrude." "That's very sweet of you," Katie said, giving Theresa a friendly smile. "I'm off in.," she glanced at the watch on her wrist, "about ten. You want to get some coffee or cocoa while they visit?" "I'd like that," Theresa answered. "I'll just wait over there," she nodded, indicating the cluster of chairs a few feet down the hall. "See you in ten," Katie told her, walking back around the desk to retrieve her charts.  
  
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"Mommy!" Cristian couldn't contain his excitement any longer. "Cristian," Ali scolded lightly as she watched her mommy stir in the bed next to hers. "You'll wake her up." Cristian's face fell, and his words were lost under his breath. His mumbled "I'm sorry" had Ali's blue eyes melting in apology, and she held her arm out for her little brother to come sit on the edge of her bed. Cristian wouldn't meet Ali's eyes as he crawled into the bed beside her, his mouth pouting. "Cristian," Ali encouraged him to look at her. "Cristian, it's okay. You didn't wake Mommy up. She's still asleep. I'm not mad at you." Cristian raised tearful brown eyes to Ali's face, whispering, "You're not?" "No," Ali smiled one of her magical smiles at him, and Cristian instantly felt better.  
  
"I'm glad," he said solemnly after a few moments of silence, curling up beside her. "I love you, Ali," he said, squeezing her fiercely. Ali squeaked and giggled, squeezing her baby brother back just as tightly. "Me too." Her blue eyes grew wide she realized something really strange.Cristian's jacket was meowing pitifully. "Cristian." "Oh!" Cristian's voice rose in excitement once more. "Me and Aunt Theresa sneaked him in. Katie didn't even see him!" Ali giggled when Cristian unzipped his parka, and the gray and white kitten crawled out, pouncing immediately on her bunny. "He's attacking her ears! Gizmo!" Cristian cried, his brown eyes bright and sparkling with happiness. Ali moved one of the bunny's ears experimentally, giggling uncontrollably when the kitten pounced again. "Mommy!" she gasped in surprise when a quick glance beside her revealed her mommy was no longer asleep but awake and smiling.  
  
"Mommy!" Cristian cried, scrambling off of Ali's bed and throwing his arms around Sheridan's waist before she even had a chance to stand up. Sheridan ran her hands over Cristian's soft dark hair lovingly then cupped his face between her palms and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Mommy, you were pretending," Cristian said with a grin. "So what if I were?" Sheridan teased her little son lightly. "Let me look at you," she said, and Cristian stepped back as she requested, a happy smile on his lips. "You're getting as tall as your daddy." "Mommy," Cristian rolled his eyes at her. Sheridan looked at Ali, and both of them erupted into laughter. "Look Mommy," Ali said, and Sheridan's blue eyes were smiling over the top of Cristian's dark head. Apparently, the kitten had already tuckered itself out, and now it curled into a tiny fuzzy ball in Ali's lap.  
  
"You better not let Dr. Nick see him," Sheridan whispered, standing up and easing herself onto the edge of Ali's bed. The kitten purred but didn't move as she stroked it lightly with her fingers. "He won't," Ali rushed to assure her. "And how do you know he won't?" Sheridan said, a tad breathless from lifting Cristian up onto her lap. "Because," Ali offered in response. "Because?" Sheridan teased back, and Cristian parroted her, giggling when Ali's nose scrunched up in annoyance. "Because, because, because," Ali's playful retort only caused more laughter, and Sheridan clamped her hand over Cristian's mouth lest they get caught red-handed. "Because why?" Sheridan asked, blue eyes sparkling when Ali groaned in frustration. "He's not here," Ali huffed. "Where is he?" Sheridan inquired curiously. "I can't tell, Mommy. It's a secret for Abby," Ali explained in a rush. Then her mouth fell open in shock, and she hurried to cover her wide blue eyes with her hands. "Uh oh," she muttered a second later. "I wasn't supposed to tell."  
  
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Faith regarded the man curiously beneath her auburn lashes, kicking her feet against the foot of the bed. Something about him looked familiar. He reminded her of someone she'd met before, but she couldn't tell who exactly. She watched him lift another armful of clothes from his suitcase and put them in the dresser. She stopped kicking her feet when he turned to her with those funny-looking eyes and spoke to her for the first time. "Your name's Faith, right?" Her blue eyes sized him up again before she answered. "Uh huh, and this is my grandma's Bed and Breakfast." "It's nice," the man nodded his approval, shutting his suitcase and placing it in the closet. "It's okay," Faith assented, "but I like my own house better." She continued when the man didn't say anything, just stood beside the window and looked out. "Me and my brother.he's the midget downstairs with my mom," she explained, her eyebrows quirking up in confusion when the man just smiled at her broadly. "We want to go home, but my mom says we have to stay a while and make sure Grandma and Grandpa are okay. My aunt Kay died, you know. We had her funeral last week." "I'm sorry," the man spoke softly, and Faith was impressed. She could tell he was telling the truth. "Yeah.everybody's sad and everything. My aunt Kay was a lot of fun. Did you know her?"  
  
"Faith!" Faith rolled her blue eyes at the exasperation in her mom's voice. She was bored. Why couldn't she talk to the cust.cust.the people? It just wasn't fair. "Faith.I told you not to talk the nice man's ear off." Faith huffed and hopped off the end of the man's bed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up into his funny-looking eyes as she spoke. "He likes to hear me talk. Don't you, Mister?" Jessica sighed and moved further into the room, steering her precocious young daughter outside. Faith frowned and didn't even look up as she passed the other man with a face she vaguely recognized. "Mom," she whined. "No fair.we were in the middle of a very important conversation." "You were supposed to be watching your brother." "But Myles is a baby," Faith continued to whine. "My point," Jessica said pointedly. "He isn't big enough to take care of himself, and he needs you. Go downstairs. Now." "Fine," Faith said haughtily, at least pretending to follow her mom's orders. As soon as her mom went back inside the room with the two men though, Faith scrambled back up the stairs and around the hall corner, ears perked and listening.  
  
"I'm sorry about.my daughter is a handful sometimes, Mr. Stone." Faith's brow furrowed at her mom's words. Was being a handful a good thing or a bad thing? "Don't apologize. She actually reminds me a bit of my sister when she was younger." Again, Faith's brow furrowed. This time in extreme concentration. Mr. Stone's sister? Who was she? Did she know her? Was she nice? Was she pretty? Was she smart? Did she know her, she wondered again. "Did your sister love to eavesdrop too?" Faith heard her mom say. Eavesdrop.She'd heard that word before. What did it mean? "All the time," she heard Mr. Stone respond, and it sounded like the other guy was laughing. What was so funny. She hated being the only one that didn't get the joke. "Is your room okay? Do you have everything you need?" Faith zoned out as she heard her mom ask those questions. Everyday. She heard her ask those same questions everyday. Boring! "The room's perfect. If I need anything, I'll let you know." Faith hurriedly ducked behind the corner when her mom left the room a few seconds later, wondering silently what was with the goofy smile on her face. Sometimes her mom was just too weird, she thought to herself, creeping along the wall so she could maybe sneak a peek inside.  
  
"You didn't have to take this room," the man with the gray eyes told the other man, and the other man gave him a funny look. Almost like e was smiling, but not all the way. "You don't know my sister as well as I do. There's no one I love more in this world than that woman, but trust me.I'm much safer under a different roof. Besides.I wouldn't want you giving up your bed for a lumpy couch." Faith's mind wandered to the lumpy old mattress she and Myles had had to share their first night in Harmony. It was awful! "At the end of the day we both need our space. I don't want her thinking I'm smothering her.I'm glad you called me, Nick. May I call you Nick?" Faith worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she racked her young brain, trying to think of where she had heard that name before. "Nick's fine. Her friend died in a terrible accident, and I'm treating the daughter of another friend of hers for cancer. Things are really rough right now, and I thought she needed someone who knew how to comfort her better than me. She can't be tough all the time. I don't think she realizes that." "Abby realizes it, Nick. But that doesn't mean she's not going to fight against admitting it with everything in her being. Do you think she's home yet?" "Any minute now. Come on. I'll drive us both." Faith's blue eyes widened and she scurried from her hiding place, auburn curls flying behind her as she clattered down the stairs in a panicked rush. At the head of the stairs, the two men exchanged amused glances, and Shane muttered, "It's like déjà vu."  
Chapter 44  
Chad grimaced as he watched Miguel polish off another beer. This couldn't have been what Theresa had in mind when she'd asked him to check up on her little brother. Damn, but he didn't think Miguel had it in him. Neither did Reese, apparently. The other man had tried repeatedly to convince their friend that drowning his sorrows in alcohol was only going to be a temporary fix for the pain in his heart, but Miguel would have none of it. It didn't help matters that his own brother-in-law seemed to support Miguel's effort to achieve numbness wholeheartedly. In fact, Noah made sure there was always a new bottle to replace the empty one. Chad didn't know Noah Bennett very well, so he wasn't in a very good place to be judgmental. He could say he didn't like his attitude though.  
  
Reese shifted uncomfortably in the stool beside him, and Chad's dark eyes sought out the smoke-filled corner of the bar and a petite figure quickly gathering a crowd of unwanted, curious stares. "I think she's worse off than Miguel," Reese muttered. "They're hurting, Man. They're hurting," Chad sighed, watching the burly man approach Abby near the jukebox and ask her to dance. She shot him down in two seconds flat, just like he'd expected. And just like he'd expected, the man didn't take too kindly to rejection, grasping Abby's arm and yanking her up against him hard. By the time he made it across the bar to rescue her, the man was already in a heap on the floor, curled into a fetal position to protect the family jewels. "No means no," Abby hissed after the man's prone figure as Chad dragged her back across the hazy room and pushed her into the stool beside Reese. Reese hurriedly excused himself, and Chad and Abby watched him disappear outside to phone Jessica.  
  
Chad waved the bartender over, spoke to him in low tones while keeping one eye on Abby, then leaned back in his seat to stare at her. Abby's mouth quirked up at the corners in amusement, and Chad bit back a laugh when she stuck her tongue out at him. Several seconds later, the bartender set a steaming cup of coffee, strong and black, beneath Abby's nose. "Sober up," Chad ordered, nodding at the coffee. "I'm not drunk," Abby frowned, lifting the cup to her lips anyway. Chad's skeptical look wasn't unnoticed. Rather, Abby chose to ignore it. "I'm not drunk," she insisted. "Stop it with the 'I don't believe a damn word you're saying' look. If I were drunk.if I were completely wasted, Squeaky over there would be looking mighty damn fine." Chad grinned. 'Squeaky' was quite an appropriate moniker for the man. "Remind me never to piss you off. How'd you end up here anyway, Abby?" Abby glanced over at Miguel, miserable and hurting at the end of the bar, and her hazel eyes saddened then shied away as they connected momentarily with the intense blue stare of Noah Bennett. "Helping out a friend," she muttered into her cup. "I just thought I'd be around to help soften the crash when he re-enters the atmosphere. I owe her that much."  
  
"Luis already has the emergency landing gear covered," Chad told her, placing a friendly hand on her arm as he stood up. Abby's hazel eyes sought out Luis's imposing but comforting form at the far end of the bar. "You called him?" Chad shook his head, picking up Abby's soft suede jacket and helping her put it on. "I called him," Reese answered, and Abby found herself smiling at the pair of concerned blue eyes hidden behind wire frame glasses. "It's your ass. Not mine. And not a bad-looking ass at that," Abby finished beneath her breath. Chad forced an expression of ignorance onto his face when Reese turned to him and asked him in a befuddled voice, "What did she say?" "Don't mind her. She's wasted, Man." "I am NOT," Abby grumbled indignantly. "I just have the tiniest buzz," she indicated with her thumb and forefinger. Chad chuckled, dropping his keys into Reese's open palm. "Make sure she gets home.Luis looks like he needs some help." "Don't look so scared," Abby laughed, grabbing Reese by the arm when moving so suddenly made the world go a little topsy-turvy. "I don't bite. Besides.you're cute, but you're not my type. Your brother-in-law's not my type either, but I can't say I'm not tempted to sink my teeth into that," she sighed, hazel eyes roving Noah's body in frank approval then growing wide as he rose from his chair and made his way toward them. "Um.strike that last comment from the record, will you?" Reese said nothing, just pulled at his too-tight collar and shifted his weight to his other foot. "You driving?" Noah asked. Reese nodded, practically pulling Abby out of the bar behind him.  
  
Okay. So maybe she WAS three sheets to the wind. The entire drive to her apartment seemed to quite impossibly take both eons and the blink of an eye. Her brain was a bunch of mush, and the scent of men's cologne lingered in her nostrils, reducing her to a capsule of frustrated human hormones. So much testosterone in one night, and she still didn't have any hope of getting any relief soon. It was no longer clear to her whether she actually couldn't stand on her own two feet due to her state of intoxication, or she just wanted to feel a strong, attractive man's arms wrapped around her. Either way, she fell out of the car at Noah Bennett's feet and soon found herself enjoying quite a view of his denim-clad derriere as he carried her up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. She clung to him like vine as he set her down on her feet and knocked on her door. She wondered briefly how he knew which apartment was hers but realized she must have told him herself on the way up. "Do you work out?" she heard herself stupidly ask as she clutched his toned upper arms for support.  
  
One dark blond brow simply raised, and those blue eyes regarded her with amusement. She had the fleeting notion to deliver a swift knee to his groin for laughing at her but decided against it when her apartment door was flung open, and she found herself eye to eye (or rather, nose to chest) with the object of her affections. "Dammit, but you ARE beautiful," she swore, slinging her arms around Nick's neck and practically climbing up his tensed body to bring her mouth close to his. Gray Eyes barely had time to react before she was kissing the living shit out of him and wrapping her entire being tighter around him. Her heart started to pound erratically in her chest when she felt Nick relax minimally and begin to respond to her, and her eyes flew open in amazement as she pulled away almost reluctantly, taking a moment to just stare at him as she attempted to catch her breath. Her hazel eyes darted from Nick's conflicted gray gaze to his full lips, her loud, insistent hormones drowning out the last of her reservations just seconds before she started closing the distance between their mouths again, and it was then that she heard it. The voice. The only voice a girl or woman loathed hearing more than her father's in the middle of a passionate or promising moment. The protective older brother's voice. She froze, mere millimeters from meeting Nick's lips again and shrieked.  
  
"SHANE!"  
Chapter 45  
Nick stifled a groan as Abby slid down his painfully aware body, re- gathering enough of his wits to reach a hand out to steady her when she wobbled on unsure feet. He drew his hand back in surprise when she glanced at him in half-gratitude, half-annoyance. Her eyes.he found himself unable to look away from her eyes, pupils dilated and irises flecked with gold that he'd never noticed before. He dropped his hand to his side awkwardly when one corner of her mouth quirked up in a smirk, as if she knew some secret he didn't. But that was impossible because he couldn't even place or categorize the foreign emotions coursing through him, and if anyone should know, it'd be him. He swallowed nervously, excusing himself to see Noah to the door. There'd be time for introductions later.  
  
"What is this? Some big brother radar thing? You always seem to show up when I'm drunk off my ass," Abby rolled her hazel eyes, raking her fingers through her tousled tawny hair. Wait a minute, the voice inside her head cried. What happened to the little buzz? You told Chad.Oh hell, Abby groaned. Now even the little voice inside her head was calling her on her tiny white lies. Not only that, it was like her own magic eight ball. She decided to ask it a quick question. Just to set a few murky things straight. Was she crazy or did the delectable Dr. Nick want to take her to bed as much as she wanted to take him to bed? You're crazy, the annoying little voice taunted her gleefully. "Oh shut the hell up," she muttered, narrowing her hazel eyes and sticking her tongue out at her brother's wicked grin as he loomed closer. "Shane," she said warningly, doing her best to look threatening despite having a terrible time not swaying on her own two feet. "So help me God if you even say it." "You'll what, Runt? Kick my ass?" he teased, drawing her into his comforting, familiar arms. "I love you so much I hate you sometimes," Abby grumbled into his chest, tightening her arms around his waist. "I love you, too, Sis. Even the little voices inside that scrambled brain of yours," Shane laughed, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Shane?" "Yeah?" Shane murmured, and Abby felt the press of his lips against the crown of her head, her own lips curving into a smile. "Shut up. Shut up now while you're ahead."  
  
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"Oh, Miguel," Theresa cried, holding the door open for Luis and Chad to help her brother through it. "Mama's worried sick, and MJ won't go to sleep without knowing you're okay. You ARE okay, aren't you?" Theresa asked, looking into Miguel's pain-filled brown eyes and finding her answer. Luis lifted Miguel's arm over his shoulder, and Chad did the same, lowering Miguel onto the couch. Theresa knelt at his feet, grasping his hands in her own. "Miguel.I know." Theresa paused, reflecting on how little she actually DID know about what Miguel was going through. She HAD lived through losing Ethan, but that wasn't the same thing. That old hurt was practically non-existent now because she'd moved on, she thought, raising her face to gaze into Chad's dark eyes for a moment. But Miguel's hurt would take much longer to fade. Kay was dead. Neither Miguel nor her young nephews would see her again while they walked this earth, and it was a difference, she realized, that they didn't know how to bear yet. "Miguel, I don't know how hard this is for you. I can't even begin to imagine.But I do know.you can't just give up, Miguel. MJ and Joshua NEED you. You're the only parent they have left." "So you have to put extra effort into being a GOOD parent, Bro," Luis said, his voice brimming with sympathy and concern but also authority. Theresa felt tears sting her eyes as she watched Miguel's face contort into an expression of equal parts anger and desolation. "Kay was the good parent. Sometimes I was there. Most of the time I wasn't."  
  
Theresa wiped angrily at the tears she felt slipping down her cheeks. This whole situation.it was so unfair. She was so far removed from the starry- eyed teen she'd been forever ago, but she still hated the cruel everyday reminders that life wasn't the fairy tale she used to think it was. Bad things happened everyday. Papa. Disappearing from their lives and missing so much. Sheridan. Torn away from Ali and Luis only to return. And have her perfect life with Luis and Ali and Cristian turned upside down by Ali's cancer. Kay. Gone in the blink of an eye. Leaving her brother and MJ and Joshua behind. She took Chad's offered hand and let him pull her to her feet, wrapping her arms firmly around his waist and burying her tear- streaked face into his sweater. Luis's voice sounded strained to her ears as she listened to him comforting their brother. "It's going to be hard, Miguel," Luis said. "Probably the hardest thing you'll ever do. I'm not going to tell you that each day gets better. That's just not true. Some days ARE easier, and the pain feels like a dull ache. But then the next day comes, and the sun rises, and you feel like you can't do it anymore. That maybe it isn't worth all the pain. But it IS worth it, Miguel. Ali was worth it, and your boys are definitely worth it. Someday you're going to learn to live with it, but until then.you just exist. You keep on breathing." Miguel bowed his head, his shoulders shaking with his cries. "It's so hard to breathe," he sobbed. Luis rest a comforting hand on Miguel's back while Theresa dropped to her knees, her forehead leaning against Miguel's forehead. And they held each other like that for a long time with Chad watching in the background.  
  
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"Mom! Don't make me sleep with Myles again! He wets the bed!" Faith cried, stomping her foot indignantly as her mom led her into the bedroom she'd shared with her little brother for more than a week. "I'll sleep with you and Dad." Jessica's brows shot up to her forehead as she nudged her reluctant daughter toward the bed. Myles was already snoring softly, sprawled sideways across the mattress. "You'll sleep with your brother. It's the only empty bed," Jessica reminded her. "Make Uncle Noah sleep with Myles. They're both boys," Faith grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest so her mom couldn't pull her shirt over the top of her auburn head. Finally, Jessica gave up, laying the nightgown across the foot of the bed. "Uncle Noah's a grown-up. He needs more room than you do." "Well.let me sleep downstairs on the couch then. I promise I won't sneak into the kitchen for cookies. Grandma's cookies aren't that good," Faith's forehead wrinkled as she told Jessica this, and Jessica just had to laugh. Her laughter died, and her smile became bittersweet with the sudden realization that something about her own daughter reminded her, in that moment, of Kay. She was hit with an incredible wave of sadness and longing, and she ignored Faith's protests as pulled her into a tight hug. She didn't have a chance to stop the tears before they started slipping down her cheeks, soaking the thin cotton of her daughter's undershirt. Jessica held onto Faith for dear life, until something shifted, and her young daughter was the one holding her. The one stroking small fingers through her hair.  
  
"It's okay, Mom. I'll sleep with Myles. I promise I won't complain anymore. Well.maybe just a little," Faith admitted. Jessica smiled through her tears, rocking back on her heels to look into Faith's compassionate blue eyes before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I'll see what I can do about the bed tomorrow, okay?" "Okay," Faith said softly, staring at her mom in concern. "Mom.are you." "What?" Jessica asked, pausing in her task of settling her son on HIS side of the bed while she waited for her daughter to change into her nightgown. "Nevermind," Faith said, scrambling to get under the covers so her mom could tuck her in. Jessica twisted the bedside lamp off, crouching to turn on the night light in the corner of the bedroom and bathing her children in a soft yellow glow. "I love you, Mom," Faith called as Jessica pulled the bedroom door closed behind her. Jessica rest her hand against the door as she answered back, "I love you too. Now go to sleep, and promise me you'll come to me if Myles wets the bed again. Grandma needs her rest." "Oh, I will," she heard Faith respond, and for a moment she could swear her daughter was channeling Kay. She smiled, even if it was a bit sadly. It was in the little things. The unexpected things, she was beginning to realize, day after day. Her sister lived on. 


	10. Chapter 46

Chapter 46  
Noah lowered himself onto the sofa, closing his eyes tiredly as he listened to the sound of Reese's footsteps thudding up the stairs. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, groaning softly at the headache he felt building behind his eyes. He felt the hair on the nape of his neck prickle, and his eyes snapped open to find his dad standing before him. "Dad?" he questioned softly, leaning forward in an effort to see him better. "I didn't hear you. Is Mom okay?" He studied his father in the pale wash of the moonlight as he seated himself beside him on the sofa. His dad's face held a tiredness, a fatigue, Noah had never seen before now. Noah silently wondered if that tiredness had already existed, and he just hadn't seen it until he chose to come home. Too late.  
  
The muscles of his thigh tensed momentarily under his father's hand, and he willed himself to relax as he looked into the pair of blue eyes that mirrored his own. "Your mom's not okay, Noah. But I think she will be. As unbelievable as it all sounds right now.I think we ALL will be. I'm glad you're home, Noah. Your mother needs all of us right now." Guilt made Noah hang his head at his dad's words. Guilt that it had taken his own sister's death to bring him home. He felt his throat closing up on him suddenly and air fleeing his lungs, making it a struggle to breathe. He looked into his dad's eyes, expecting to find them full of accusation and maybe even a little anger. But all he found was acceptance and love, relief, and somewhere in those emotion-riddled blue depths, a quiet happiness simply because he was home. Home where he belonged. "I'm sorry, Dad," Noah choked, crumpling before his father's eyes. "I should have been here." Noah's shuddering eased slightly under his dad's firm, comforting hand on his shoulder, and he felt a portion of the burden of failing his family lifted off his shoulders with his dad's next words. "Don't be. You're here now. Make it count."  
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"Mijo," Pilar whispered softly as she threaded her fingers through Cristian's dark hair, careful not to wake her grandson. "You didn't have to come for Cristian. I do not mind watching him." Luis smiled at his mother. "I know, Mama," he told her, shifting Cristian's dead weight to his other arm and embracing Pilar with his free arm. "Thank you, Mama, for watching him. But you already have MJ and Joshua. They need you a little bit more right now." "Luis," Pilar protested half-heartedly, clutching the edges of her robe tightly with one hand and moving the other to rest on Cristian's back, feeling the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. "All my grandchildren need me." "Yes, they do, Mama," Luis agreed, resting his cheek against his son's soft hair. "But tonight I'm going to cut you a break," Luis murmured, leaning forward to brush his lips against his mother's forehead.  
  
Behind Pilar, in the living room, Miguel was asleep on the couch, MJ draped over his chest. "You and Papa have your hands full," Luis said, smiling slightly as his father came up behind his mother, Joshua dozing against his shoulder with his tiny thumb stuck firmly in his mouth. "Luis," Pilar attempted once more, "Cristian is no trouble." Luis shook his head, raising a hand in dismissal and goodbye. "Tonight, Mama.I just need to be close to him. Okay?" Pilar nodded, leaning back in Martin's ready arms. "And Mama." "Yes, Mijo?" Pilar's voice raised in question. "Don't come down on Miguel too hard. He's just having to find his own way." "I'll make sure she doesn't," Martin promised. "Give those beautiful girls of yours a kiss from us." "Don't worry about that, Papa," Luis said, his voice slightly gruff. "I got it covered."  
  
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"Chad, don't go. Stay," Theresa pleaded, looping her arms around Chad's waist and staring up at him with luminous dark eyes. "Please.you don't have to leave. It's late, and I don't think Luis is coming back tonight. We can sleep out here on the couch if you're afraid." "Now wait just a minute," Chad interrupted her with a grin. "Who said I was afraid of your brother? You're an adult, Theresa. You're not the kid I first met anymore. You're all grown up," Chad said, pausing to demonstrate just how grown-up with his short but passionate kiss, "and well past the marryin' age." Chad fell silent, panic starting to suffuse his body as he realized how she might choose to take his statement.  
  
Theresa's big brown eyes sparkled laughingly at him as she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him down the hall to her bedroom. She let go of his hand to pick up a familiar orange tee shirt off the back of her vanity chair, and Chad shook his head in disbelief. "That's my favorite shirt." "Mine, too," Theresa giggled, hurriedly unbuttoning her blouse and shrugging it off her shoulders before he could steal the shirt back from her. "I've been looking for that shirt for weeks. You stole it last time you stayed over, didn't you?" "So what if I did?" Theresa teased, her voice muffled as she pulled the tee-shirt over her dark head and let it settle around her knees. Chad smirked as he stripped down to his boxers and scooted beneath the quilt to lay beside her. "I don't know," he said, reaching for her and pulling her close. Theresa shrieked when she felt his hands creep underneath the shirt and start to tickle her ribs. "I might just have to steal it back," Chad informed her, refusing to let her squirming body loose. And Theresa laughed, grateful for the closeness and distraction he was offering her.  
  
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Nick sighed, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling. Dammit, but he couldn't sleep. SOMETHING was off. He'd tried counting sheep. He'd even read a little. Neither thing had worked, and now he was reduced to staring at the ceiling and straining his ears to pick up any movement in the room a few feet away, trying to pretend to himself the entire time that he really was counting the non-existent cracks on the ceiling. He kicked in frustration at the confining sheets tangled around his body, finally shoving them to his waist. He flopped ungracefully onto his side, forcing himself not to stare at his open bedroom door. He didn't want to think about the implications to such a small action as leaving the door wide open. Small but significant he was certain, and he didn't want to face up to them just yet. Or admit to the fact that he'd grown so used to sharing his bed in the past week with the woman down the hall.not having her beside him was bordering on unnatural.  
  
Nick wanted to draw Abby and her vivacity close, but keep her at an arm's distance at the same time, and those conflicting feelings weighing on his mind were making it impossible for him to even close his eyes and think about getting some shut-eye. Not to mention closing his eyes pretty much assured that he'd be bombarded with a constant replay of the gold of her eyes after she'd stunned him speechless by kissing the hell out of him. He hated to think what might have happened had Shane and Noah Bennett not been witness to Abby's impromptu attack. She was just beginning to weaken his defenses against her when he'd remembered the other two men. He didn't want to give Abby's brother the wrong impression. There was absolutely nothing going on between him and his oddly likable little sister. Absolutely nothing at all, Nick told himself as he stared at the frost along the borders of the window opposite him. Nothing, he reminded himself, not daring to move as he felt the mattress dip slightly under the weight of another body and the press of a cold nose between his shoulder blades. He smiled when small hands reached around his waist, burrowing under his tee-shirt for warmth. He wasn't even going to think about the indisputable fact that he was more than glad to have her next to him.  
  
Nick kept a hand clasped over Abby's hands as he turned over in the bed, finding himself staring into her sleepy but twinkling hazel eyes. His hand reached forward of its own accord, tucking a strand of tawny hair back behind her ear. "Your bed's warmer than mine," Abby offered lamely, breaking a silence and stare that was fast bordering on uncomfortable. Nick winced when he felt cold toes brush against his legs, and he trapped Abby's feet between them. Abby grinned, flexing her cold toes against his calves to get a reaction. Nick shivered slightly, gritting out a warning. "Stop that. Why are you always so damned cold?" Abby snuggled closer, and Nick was distracted by her laughing hazel eyes and their flecks of gold just long enough to be shocked to discover her hands have moved higher beneath his tee-shirt. "Don't you know? Every night I sneak out in the buff and make snow angels, and then I charm my way into your bed," she quipped. "You, of course, fall for it every time. I think you secretly enjoy 'warming' me up," she teased, crinkling up her nose. "God knows it gives me a thrill," she cracked, and he found himself smiling with her.  
  
Nick caught himself staring at her a couple of times in the next several minutes, and he caught Abby smirking back. The alcohol Abby'd consumed had all but obliterated what little inhibitions she possessed, and he groaned as he felt her hand resting over his heart wander, one long nail scratching over his nipple before traveling down his side. He wasn't positive, but he may have ceased breathing altogether when he felt the fingers of that same hand dip just below the waistband of his boxers and rest against his hip. "I've been told it helps to breathe," she teased huskily, her mouth hovering just inches from his own. "We got interrupted earlier," Abby said, leaning forward and indulging herself by planting a few open-mouthed caresses along the fast-warming skin of his neck, and Nick cursed the surge of lust that swept through his body when he felt the moisture of her tongue along the underside of his jaw. "We were finally getting somewhere.I thought I finally had my REAL kiss.and the one voice.God, I love your eyes," Abby broke off suddenly, surprising Nick with her fierce attack of his mouth. Apparently, the greedy mesh of Abby's lips and teeth and tongue short-circuited all the neurons in Nick's brain because it faltered and was overruled by something else altogether, and God help him, he was kissing Abby back. Giving as good as he got but praying the entire time that common sense would swoop in and prevail to prevent him from making a momentous mistake. Obviously, this wasn't nothing. Nothing never was this much trouble.  
  
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Luis eased the door to Ali's hospital room open with his shoulder, backing inside and keeping a watchful eye out for Nurse Ellie. Police Chief or not, the woman would have his hide for breaking visiting hour rules. The hallway was quiet with no sign of Ellie or any of the other nurses for that matter, and Luis cradled Cristian close to his chest as he stepped into Ali's room. Ali's face was peaceful and relaxed in repose, and Luis breathed a sigh of relief to find his wife's beautiful face similarly serene. Cristian sighed in his sleep but did not wake as Luis carried him across the room and carefully lay him beside his mother, and Luis smiled tenderly at the pair as he watched Sheridan slip a loving arm around Cristian's small body and cuddle him close unconsciously in her sleep. He brushed a gentle hand over Cristian's dark head and pressed his lips against Sheridan's cheek, straightening up and releasing a surprised breath when he found himself staring into the clear and unblinking blue eyes of his young daughter. "Daddy," Ali smiled sleepily, outstretching her little hand. Luis clasped warm fingers around her tiny palm and brought it to his lips before laying it back down beside her and kissing the crown of her golden head. "Sleep, AliCat. I'm here. We're here," he murmured, combing his fingers through her pale locks until her heavy lids drooped again. "Sleep," he whispered, taking the chair beside her bed and drinking in the sight of her, his son, his wife as they breathed rhythmically and quietly. "Just sleep. Daddy's here."  
Chapter 47  
"But Mommy," Cristian whined plaintively. "I don't want to go. I want to stay here with you and Ali." Sheridan raised moist blue eyes to Luis's face, and Luis gave his wife a sympathetic look. He knew how much she always hated this. Saying goodbye. It didn't matter that it was only for a short period of time. She never liked being apart from either Cristian or Ali for any period of time. "I know you do, Honey," Sheridan whispered, caressing Cristian's damp cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. "But remember.you were supposed to spend the day with Sara and Emily and their grandpa. You don't want the girls to be disappointed, do you?" "I guess not," Cristian mumbled, hanging his dark head. "Cristian," Ali's soft voice spoke. "Gwen's daddy is nice. Jake says he's a lot of fun. More fun than his grandma." Luis resisted the urge to laugh at the effect Ali's unintentional reminder about Rebecca and her less than impressive skills with entertaining and taking care of children had on his young son. The expression on Cristian's face was somewhere between being crestfallen and being in a growing panic.  
  
"Mommy," Cristian cried, throwing his arms around Sheridan's neck. Ali clasped a hand over her mouth and looked at them with contrite blue eyes, and Luis smiled at her in reassurance as he bent down, placing his hands on either of Cristian's tiny shoulders. "It's going to be okay. You'll have fun. You'll see." Uncertainty was still plain in Cristian's dark eyes as he looked at Sheridan again, and she leaned forward to brush her lips against his forehead as her blue eyes brightened with a sudden idea. "Have fun with Sara and Emily. For me and Ali. Daddy or Aunt Theresa or Nana Pilar or even Grandpa Martin will come get you if you're not having fun, and tomorrow you can come back to the hospital. ." Luis nodded his head with a smile. "And," Sheridan's blue eyes sparkled as she tickled Cristian's tummy teasingly, "I'll see if I can talk the doctor into letting you see the baby's ultrasound."  
  
"Really?" Cristian said, seeming to perk up marginally. "Really," Sheridan assured him. "So you'll go? Daddy doesn't have to call Sara and Emily and explain to them why you're not coming?" "Don't do THAT," Cristian muttered, "I'm going. I'm going." Ali's nose crinkled up in amusement at her little brother's apparent annoyance. "Good," Sheridan said, stroking Cristian's soft hair from his forehead and smiling into his eyes. "But I got a question." Cristian said, dark brow furrowed in confusion. "Shoot," Luis grinned expectantly, already mentally preparing himself to keep a straight face whatever his young son surprised them with this time. Cristian shuffled his feet and twisted the hem of his sweater in his hands, and Ali and Sheridan and Luis all waited, breath held. "How's the doctor going to get a camera inside your belly? Who's going to cover the doctor's eyes, Mommy? Will the baby be embarrassed?"  
  
Luis chuckled under his breath as Sheridan fished for an appropriate response for each of their son's questions and bit down a belly laugh when she became stuck on one in particular. "Embarrassed? Why would the baby be embarrassed?" Cristian's mouth hung open for a moment, and Ali giggled when she caught her daddy trying to hide his grin. "Because," Cristian replied, looking quite put off. "Because?" Sheridan said, leaving the question hanging in the air. "Do I have to explain everything?" Cristian grumbled, throwing his hands up in the air. "Because the baby won't have any clothes on," he hissed in a low whisper. "Mommy.the baby's NAKED." Sheridan choked on her own laughter as she tried to mirror Cristian's ultra serious, slightly offended expression. "Oh.Oh.we'll just have to blindfold that doctor then, won't we? Won't we, Daddy?" Luis's brown eyes danced as he nodded his head in agreement, squelching the temptation to howl with laughter as he took in his wife's flushed color and the plea in her blue eyes that screamed 'Get me out of this one, please!'  
  
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Katie smiled through the small window at the corner of the hospital door one more time before turning around and heading back to the nurses' station. So the family Lo-Fitz were fudging the rules a little bit. Again. In this case, it seemed to be doing them all good so she decided to let it slide for the time being. She kept her smile in place when she passed Ellie, packing it in and getting ready to go home after a long but non-eventful shift. True.the woman hardly had a kind word to say to her. But it was too early in the morning to be a bitch, and Katie didn't think she possessed many bitchy qualities anyway so.she politely waved to the other woman and took her seat behind the desk. She ducked her head to hide her smirk when Ellie shot her a perplexed, completely astonished 'what the hell is going on here?' look. "What's so funny this early in the morning? I looked, and it's not like Ellie has her skirt tucked in her pantyhose. I hear women hate when that happens." Katie released a childish snicker as she looked up to meet Nick's amused gray eyes. "Totally, totally hate when that happens," she agreed.  
  
The door to Ali's door opened down the hall, and Luis exited, gently prodding Cristian forward. Katie winked at the pair as she watched them choose to take the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. "Katie.Katie, did you hear me?" Katie whirled around to face Nick when he waved his hand in front of her face. "Yeah.uh." Something about Ali, her subconscious supplied. "Ali's doing great. I just checked on her, and she's comfortable, smiling, and in great spirits." "Good. That's good," Nick spoke softly, flipping the pages on the chart in his other hand. "I think I'll go say good morning." "You don't trust me," Katie accused laughingly. "Katie." Nick sputtered, "I didn't.I DO trust you." "You just have a hankering to say good morning to two very special blondes, huh? What about that other blond in your life? You know.the one you live with. C'mon, Nick. You were making so much progress. What happened?" Katie's teasing smile slowly changed into an expression of total bewilderment when Nick's gray eyes seemed to lose their humor, and he walked away from her.  
  
Not comfortable leaving matters in such an awkward state, Katie followed Nick into the locker room, quickly averting her eyes when she found him stripped to the waist and maintaining a more professional distance. She tried to bite her tongue, but history and her inquisitive nature were working against her. Before she could catch herself, she blurted, "What the hell happened between you and Abby, Nick?" Nick didn't answer her immediately, and she turned on her heels to stare levelly at him. Or, more accurately, the rippling muscles of his back and shoulders as he changed into his scrubs. She felt but couldn't control the flush rising up her neck and traveling to her cheeks when she saw the faint scratch marks across his back. "Did you." she paused, jumping when Nick slammed his locker shut and turned to face her, his gray eyes glittering at her in warning, "Katie." "You're.I like to consider you my friend. And I know Abby's a good person. Just like you are. If something goes wrong, I feel kind of responsible.the whole apartment trickery.Something obviously happened between you two, Nick, and I'm having a hard time telling from your behavior if it was something good or bad." "Me too, Katie," Nick sighed, rubbing his hand over his face tiredly. "I don't know what the hell that woman is doing to me. I don't even know if I want to stop it."  
  
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Abby groaned, blinking her hazel eyes open reluctantly when she heard the distinct and loudly echoing sound of.pounding at the front door. Whatever happened to knocking politely? In her immediate and uncensored opinion, the dumbass at the door wasn't knocking. He or she was trying to pulverize the door right off its hinges. She flailed an arm out blindly, grabbing the cool pillow beside her and burying her tangled mass of tawny hair beneath it. To hell with the person at the door. They'd go away, right? An unconscious smile lit upon her lips with the discovery that the pillow still smelled like Nick, and sleep once again began to blur the images, smells, and sounds surrounding her as she relived what little she could remember from the night before. In fact, the last thing she remembered from last night was the way his mouth felt moving beneath her own, and from there, things got a bit fuzzy. But she'd been told she had an amazing imagination (actually.other words were used at the time, but she'd decided to take them in a positive way). So she couldn't remember all the minute details. Nothing was stopping her from dreaming about them.  
  
But SOMEBODY was, Abby discovered when she felt the pillow yanked off of her head and harsh light shining into her eyes. Abby glared as menacingly as she could manage at the figure towering over her, his name leaving her lips in a near-growl. "Shane. You are SO dead. D-E-A-D meat." "Morning to you too, Runt," Shane grunted, hauling her out of her warm cocoon of covers by one arm. "You seem a little mixed up. You're the one that looks like death warmed over," he muttered, pushing his half-clad little sister out of Nick's bedroom and toward the bathroom. Abby shrieked and drew in several rapid breaths when she felt the icy prick of the water hit her skin, and she practically lunged toward her brother's retreating form as he pulled the door shut behind him. Speaking in an infuriatingly false chipper voice, "Don't take too long. I'm taking you out for coffee when you get out. I think this hang-over deserves Starbucks." Nick's comfortable gray sweatshirt hit the door with a wet thud just seconds after the door had shut all the way. "Bastard," Abby grumbled as she started soaping up her hair. "Ow," she winced. Even her damned hair hurt.  
  
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Jake swiveled around on his mom's vanity seat, taking another quick peek at his newly spiked hair. He could still hear Mom in the twins' room fighting with them over what they were and were not going to take to Grandma and Grandpa's house for their sleep-over so he knew he was safe on that front. But Dad.where was. "I've always preferred hair that you can run your fingers through, but I have to say, Little Buddy, that you wear the Porcupine spikes so much better than Uncle Luis." Jake grinned lopsidedly at his dad, sliding out of his mom's chair hurriedly when he heard her practically stomping down the hall in her high heels. "You think I have enough gel?" he whispered, standing tall and doing his best to look unsuspicious as his mom strode through the open bedroom door, pulling a screaming Sara along with her. "Enough to warrant a flammability alert," Hank quipped with a smirk. Jake frowned. He didn't know for sure, but he was thinking his dad might have just made fun of him. He HATED when grown- ups did kids that way. It totally su.  
  
"Jake, are you ready for school?" "Almost, Mom," Jake piped up. "You're not going to work that way, are you?" Jake jerked his head toward his dad when he heard his disapproving whistle. "I mean.you look okay, Mom, but I've seen you look much better," Jake continued, digging himself into an even deeper hole. Gwen glared at her son, informing Hank through clenched teeth that HE would be taking their son to school this morning. Hank and Jake alike breathed twin sighs of relief when Gwen hustled back out of the bedroom, dragging a now-kicking Sara behind her. "You almost struck out there, Little Buddy. NEVER tell a woman she doesn't look beautiful. They don't want to hear that," Hank explained, sidestepping the yapping Pug that seemed to salivate at the chance to trip him and nipped at his heels continuously. "But Dad." Jake whined. "You want me to just lie?" Hank nudged Gus away with his foot as he closed the bedroom closet and turned back to his son. "Absolutely."  
  
Jake rolled his eyes as his mom wrapped his scarf around his neck multiple times, nearly cutting his air supply off, and sighed heavily when she got lipstick all over his cheek by kissing it. He stuck his tongue out to Sara, who looked remarkably like a ripe tomato this morning, what with her screaming fits and all. Not that he couldn't sympathize. He was actually GLAD he had to go back to school. Algebra was more fun than spending the day with Grandma. She just didn't know how to hang loose and have fun. He just hoped his teacher didn't want to talk about Kay too much. Talking about her made Jake remember how sad he felt and how much he really missed her. Jake just wanted to be a normal kid coming back from Christmas vacation. Not the kid whose cousin died over the holidays. He was feeling really sore over that. So even though the hugs and kisses made him feel like such a baby, he allowed them. He knew his mom and even his dad needed to show him how much they loved him, and he was okay with that. As long as it wasn't in public. That's why he didn't shove Emily's arms around his waist in goodbye away. Immediately anyway. He loved his little sister, but he was still a man. Like they did things like hugging their little sisters. Well.maybe Cristian.  
Chapter 48  
"The Book Café," Shane mused. "Not Starbucks, but it'll do. C'mon, Runt. A couple of steps to your right." Abby whipped off her sunglasses and glared into her brother's matching twinkling hazel eyes. "Do these glasses make me look like Ray Charles? I didn't think so," she muttered, pressing her fingertips to her temples when he simply smirked at her in that infuriating big brother/father figure way of his. Damn. Her head hurt and her ears were ringing. How had Shane escaped getting his ass kicked this morning when he dragged her out of bed? Oh yeah, the embarrassing little stumble in her step reminded her. Large quantities of alcohol tended to wreak havoc with a person's coordination. And their inhibitions, she thought, feeling her cheeks flame. Bits and pieces of memory from last night were hitting her at the oddest moments.  
  
Like this moment.feeling her brother's hand on the small of her back guiding her to the first available table in the Book Café.made it all come back to her in a vivid flash. Nick's big hands pressing at the small of her back, pulling her into him as he kissed her back just as fearlessly as she'd kissed him. And holy shit it felt so good, clutching and clawing at his shoulders as he ravaged her mouth with his own. And then.and then.what the hell had happened then? Shane pulled a chair out for her, and Abby snapped out of the daze she was in and scowled at her big brother when he had the audacity to push her down into her seat. "Shane," she grumbled, grabbing a sugar packet from the little basket in the middle of the table and thumping it at the annoying ass. The packet barely missed Shane's head, but it nailed the young waitress coming up behind him to take their order in the forehead, making Abby burst into absurd laughter. She snorted with laughter long after the waitress had scurried to the front of the Book Café with a frightened grimace-smile on her face as she glanced back at her, and she would have kept on laughing had Shane not stunned the snot out of her. Her brother's fingers paused in their massaging motion of her hands and asked her bluntly, "How long have you been sleeping with him?"  
  
"It's not like it's any of your business," Abby replied, totally miffed as she pulled her hands from her brother's hold and started fiddling with her abandoned sunglasses without meeting his inquisitive but not wholly un- accusing look. "You're not my father. I mean, it doesn't matter. Even if the lines between father and brother hadn't been blurred when Mom and Dad died, and you hadn't thrown your entire life away to raise your ungrateful kid sister.Shane," Abby sighed, finally meeting her brother's knowing hazel eyes. "So what if we're sleeping together? I know it's hard to tell sometimes, but I'm a grown woman now. My judgment may not be 100 percent. But it's better. It's an improvement. I'm not the stupid kid I used to be. C'mon. Believe it or not, I DO have some self-respect. I don't know why I'm bothering. It's my life, Shane. My no.sex life. Brother, Father.it's none of your damn business who I share my bed with every night.what? WHAT?" Abby cried, frowning at the amused smile on Shane's face when the waitress plunked her mug of black coffee down in front of her. The girl looked on the verge of saying something, something totally revealing of the fact she'd been listening to EVERY word of their conversation since she'd returned on feet amazingly silent considering her clumsiness. Until she got locked into a brutal stare-down with Abby. The corners of Shane's mouth twitched as he watched the girl make her hasty escape. "Thank God you're not this mean when you're loaded. It's only the hangovers." he trailed off, not bothering to finish that particular thought. Instead, he leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms across his chest. "You're NOT sleeping with him," he surmised with a smile that bordered on relief.  
  
"Technically, I AM," Abby snapped, wishing she'd had a few more minutes of goading him. Letting him suffer. "Let's re-establish those ground rules. You can ask me about work. That's perfectly fine. You can ask me what I want you to buy me for breakfast. In fact, I expect you to pick up the tab for this, Buddy," she grumbled. "I don't have any cash on me 'cause SOMEBODY barely gave me enough time to get dressed and dragged me out in this weather with wet hair.if I catch my death of cold, I know who to blame." Shane leaned forward, his hazel eyes laughing even if his lips dared not. "You give God enough cheap laughs as it. I don't think he's quite ready to have you nagging him 24/7 yet." Abby lightly swatted her free hand against her brother's cheek. "So I'm going to Heaven now," she said conversationally. "You always said I was a hell-raiser. Listen.forget all this. You're distracting me from the real point of this conversation. All the sex I'm not having, all the sex I hope to have in the future.as my brother it's none of your business. You should have zero, zilch, nada interest in my sex life." "Non sex-life," Shane corrected her, earning a less playful slap at his arm, which he quickly yanked out of her reach. "Ugh! You're a jackass, you know that?" Abby huffed. "And a perv.Wait 'til I." "Abby, no," Shane laughed when it appeared the wheels in her head were turning rapidly. "Abby," he hissed, grabbing at her arm as she shoved her seat back and stood up with an evil grin on her lips and some of her trademark mischief making her hazel eyes sparkle. She cleared her throat loudly and clapped her hands together, making certain she had every patron in the Book Café hanging on her every word. "Excuse me, but I have an announcement to make," she paused to shake Shane's insistent hand off her arm. "My brother is a bona-fide PERVERT!" Light amused and embarrassed laughter filled the cozy space as the patrons waited patiently for more. Abby glanced at her brother's flushed appearance and tightly clenched jaw and decided enough was enough. She'd more than exacted her revenge. "Thank you. That's all I have to say," she finished, biting her lip to keep her laughter at bay as the crowd whirred back into action. "Hey, Buddy," she managed to keep the smile off her face. "You asked for it." "I changed my mind," Shane practically growled. "You're definitely going straight to Hell." "Really?" Abby inquired teasingly, "I always thought that was a foregone conclusion."  
  
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"I guess that answers that question," Beth smiled, swiping the rag in her hands over the counter and depositing the crumbled pieces of muffin into the nearest trash can. "The man you were so curious about was her brother," she teased, laughing at the chagrined expression Ethan sporting behind his coffee mug. "And he's a pervert," Ivy added, her blue green eyes still dancing over the ridiculous display of a few moments ago. "A very attractive one at that," Beth murmured, her dark eyes sparkling at Ethan's nonplused reaction. "You think Abby's brother is attractive?" Ivy rolled her eyes at her son's bumbling query. "Jealous, Dear?" "What? No, Mother. I'm no such thing. I was just wondering.what's so appealing about the man? I'm not jealous. I'd like to think I'm not that insecure about, well.about Beth's feelings for me." Ivy's eyes widened in disbelief. "I mean Beth's feelings for me as a friend." Keep telling yourself that one, Dear, Ivy thought silently. "I mean.I don't see what the fuss is all about," Ethan's voice came out in a near whine. Beth laughed and reached across the counter to cover Ethan's hand with one of her own. "If it makes you feel any better," she said, giving him a gentle smile, "I find you a very attractive.friend." Ivy chuckled. If she didn't know any better, she'd swear Ethan was blushing. "Ethan.Beth," she shook her head when it became clear to her that her son had not even heard her speak. "I see Eve and her daughters.I'm going to go over and say a word or two." Beth nodded her head to indicate she'd heard her and turned her attention back to Ethan.  
  
".I'm staying, Mom. I don't feel right leaving at a time like this," Simone argued earnestly. Eve looked away from her daughter and into Ivy's curious blue-green eyes. "Ivy," she spoke politely. "Hi, Mrs. Crane," Whitney and Simone spoke in quiet tandem. "Girls.Eve," Ivy nodded. "Can I help you with something, Ivy?" Eve questioned suspiciously. "No. No," Ivy repeated. "I just wanted to say hello, and tell you again how sorry I am about Kay. I know your family has always been close to her, and that this must be very hard on you." "It is," Simone murmured tearfully, ducking her head from prying eyes. Ivy gave Whitney a sympathetic look as she comforted her sister. Eve's dark eyes were bright with lingering suspicion and tears as she grasped Simone's hand across the table. "Mom, I mean it," Simone cried. "I can't even think of leaving at a time like this. Miguel's lost, and he needs us all. And the boys.Mom, don't try to talk me out of it because I'm not going to change my mind." Eve sighed, not bothering to wipe away the tear that traveled down her cheek. "I wish I could stay too, Mom," Whitney admitted softly. "Being so far away from home and you and Dad and all my friends doesn't make sense anymore." "I know, Honey. I know it seems like nothing makes sense, but it won't always feel this way," Eve offered lamely. "You don't have to rearrange your whole lives though." Feeling like an intruder on a private moment, Ivy left the scene silently and took a table in a quiet corner. Watching and listening and ruminating on how her world and the world of everyone else close to her in Harmony seemed to be topsy-turvy lately.  
  
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"So, Little Man," Chad grinned at Cristian as he helped him stuff some clothes into his duffel bag. "You're one of the bravest men I know.toughing it out at the Hotchkiss Estate with Jake's grandma." Cristian sighed and tossed his favorite bear into the bag before Chad could zip it up. "I guess so," he muttered, plopping down on the bottom bunk of the bunk beds when Chad hefted his bag onto the top bunk. Chad sat down beside him, giving his dark hair an affectionate tousle. "I'll let you in on a secret," Chad leaned over to whisper into Cristian's ear. "She looks kind of scary, but she's basically harmless. Just don't let her intimidate you." "What's inti..intim.what's that big word mean?" Cristian questioned, looking up at Chad with serious brown eyes. "Don't let her scare you. You'll be fine," Chad said, giving the little boy a reassuring pat on the arm before standing up and offering his hand. "Just stick close to Jake's grandpa. He's an expert in dealing with Grandma Dragon," Chad smirked, letting his own personal nickname for Rebecca slip through. Cristian sucked in a startled breath at the mention of dragons, and Chad rubbed a hand over his chin thoughtfully as the little boy darted out of the bedroom door and into Theresa's waiting arms. Maybe that hadn't been his best choice of words. Luis strode into the bedroom and grabbed Cristian's duffel bag off the top bunk, giving Chad's orange tee-shirt a quizzical look before walking back out of the bedroom and pulling Cristian along with him. Theresa giggled at Chad and hurried after Cristian and Luis to answer the ringing doorbell.  
  
Chad entered the living room to find Emily's arms firmly wrapped around Luis's neck and refusing to let go. His dark eyes lingered on Sara's tear- bloated face, and the little girl scowled meanly at him, rubbing her nose roughly with the back of her arm before Gwen had a chance to wipe it with the Kleenex in her hand. "Sara," she scolded. "It's only going to be one night. ONE," she reiterated. "I can't take you on this business trip. It's not like I can leave you in the hotel room by yourself. I won't get any work done if I'm worrying about you." "See?" Sara griped back. "You won't get any work done anyway if you leave me with Grandma." Chad chuckled under his breath when he noticed Luis trying valiantly to hide his amused smile from the irate little girl who had an answer for everything. "And Grandpa," Gwen shot back, dabbing the Kleenex under Sara's runny nose. "Blow," she ordered, and Cristian grimaced when Sara actually followed her mother's orders, blowing loudly. "Yuck," he muttered, hiding his face against Theresa's side. "Why can't I stay with Dad?" Sara grumbled when Gwen pushed her daughter's brown hair back from her damp cheeks. "And leave Cristian and Emily with Grandma all by themselves?" Gwen tried to tease. "Sara," she sighed. "You know Dad.this isn't about not wanting to stay with Grandma, is it?" Sara stared at her feet, and Chad felt his heart go out to the kid when more tears seeped from beneath her lowered lashes. "Oh, Sara," Gwen cried, pulling her daughter into a tight hug when she realized the source of Sara's misgivings. Kay's death had struck a chord with them all, even her not-so-innocent daughter. "I'm coming back. I promise you that I'll be back tomorrow night to tuck you and Emmy and even Jake into bed if you guys will let me." "I will," Sara sobbed hotly into Gwen's shoulder. "You better keep your promise," she muttered, lifting her wet brown eyes to her mother's face. Gwen laughed softly. "Is that a threat?" "Uh huh," Cristian nodded his dark head seriously, and Sara's tears were forgotten, pushed aside by the sounds of surprised laughter. And things were okay. At least for a little while.  
Chapter 49  
Nick laughed at the sound of Ali's delighted giggles as the snowflakes fluttered down from the sky and stuck to her golden lashes. It was the first time, Sheridan realized, that the smile had reached his gray eyes all day. Sheridan bent over, adjusting Ali's floppy denim hat and brushing the stray strands of gold behind her daughter's shoulder. "Ali.I think you owe Dr. Nick a big 'Thank you' for bringing you out here." "Thank you," Ali grinned up at Nick happily, and Sheridan shook her head as her daughter's movements made the hat fall off completely this time. She ran a tender hand over Ali's gold hair and felt tears just beneath the surface at the realization that the silk under her palm was thinner even than yesterday and some of its luster had dimmed. Nick's hand on her shoulder gave her a strengthening squeeze, and she smiled at him gratefully, watching pleasure light up Ali's beloved features when Nick spoke. "I'm not in the habit of bringing beautiful young ladies to the roof on my lunch hour. You're the first gorgeous lady that's had the honor," he told Ali with a wink, kneeling in front of her and tucking her blankets more securely around her shoulders and feet. "Now, AliCat. I want you to tell me if you get cold or if you don't feel well." "Tell him, Mommy," Ali searched out Sheridan's blue eyes with her own. "I don't feel sick today, Dr. Nick," she said, not waiting for her mother to speak for her. "Dr. Nick.will I be better before the baby gets here?" Sheridan's smile was tight, and her eyes flicked to Nick's again. Nick stood up, his hands unconsciously gripping the I.V. pole beside Ali's wheelchair in a tight grip. "Oh yeah. WAY before the baby gets here." "Good," Ali murmured. "I can't wait to be a big sister again."  
  
"Ali," Sheridan sighed after several minutes of silence amongst the trio. "I think we should get back inside. It's cold out here, and we don't want to get Dr. Nick in trouble." "Mommy," Ali couldn't keep the whine out of her voice. "I don't want to go yet. Mommy, I LOVE the snow. Dr. Nick.don't make me go inside yet. You won't get in trouble, will you?" Nick leaned over the back of the chair and whispered something into Ali's ear, and Ali nodded, sighing slightly in disappointment but no longer protesting. "Okay. Do I get to get ice cream?" "Ice Cream?" Sheridan laughed incredulously. "Ali, it's freezing, and you want ice cream?" "UH HUH," Ali told her, blue eyes sparkling. "Sweetie, you're going to turn into a popsicle," Sheridan teased. "Are you sure you want ice cream?" "Mommy," Ali groaned, rolling her eyes at Sheridan, "Absolutely, positively." "100%." Nick added. "Without a doubt?" Sheridan asked, bending over and giving her daughter tickling little Eskimo kisses. "Duh!" Ali giggled, her little arms escaping the mountain of blankets she was buried beneath and twining tightly around Sheridan's neck. "You're going along with this?" Sheridan queried pulling back and snuggling the blankets back around Ali's slim shoulders, falling into step with Nick as he wheeled Ali toward the door. "What can I say?" Nick chuckled. "I'm your daughter's humble servant."  
  
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"I didn't want to go to school anyway, Dad," Jake made conversation, peering at his dad and abnormally silent and well-behaved cousin over the cheeseburger poised inches from his mouth. MJ twirled the straw of his soda between his thumb and forefinger, making noncommittal grunts at the appropriate moments during his dad's one-sided conversation with him, Jake noticed. This was totally strange, Jake decided, taking a big, messy bite of his burger and barely taking the time to set it down before slurping loudly from his soda. He leaned back in seat opposite his dad and MJ in the booth and let out one of his championship belches. Sure it'd bring MJ out of his shell. But it didn't work. At least not the way he wanted it to. All he succeeded in doing was grossing out the old lady and her husband a couple of booths down. His dad didn't have to scold him. Jake apologized before the words left his mouth. On their way out, the elderly couple nosily inquired why they weren't in school, and Jake narrowed his dark eyes at them. "Because my dad's letting us skip. He's going to sneak us into the movies later. PG-13," Jake added, deciding he may have gone too far when the little old lady looked like she was going to keel over into MJ's uneaten mound of French fries. MJ certainly wiped that ugly scowl off of her face when he whispered, so quietly they almost didn't hear him. "My mom died." The old lady sure looked sorry then.  
  
After they left Wendy's, they drove around town a while, and much to Jake's surprise, his dad DID take them to a movie. But it wasn't PG-13. Jake thought his dad didn't want to get Kay mad at him up in Heaven or something. Jake didn't watch much of the movie. He was too busy watching his dad watch MJ, and when his dad slipped his arm around MJ's shoulders in the darkness of the theater and tears started streaming down MJ's cheeks.Jake looked away, not wanting to embarrass his little cousin. MJ burrowed himself into his dad's side and stayed there for a very long time. When the movie's credits were rolling, and everyone (well.just him, his dad, and MJ it seemed to Jake) was blinking their eyes at the bright lights, MJ looked up at his dad, and Jake felt a funny pain in his chest when he asked, in such a sad voice, "Can I go home to my dad now?" "Yeah," Jake heard his dad whisper as he lifted MJ into his arms, and Jake didn't think MJ was a baby at all and making fun of him later never once crossed his mind. Jake just followed them, wishing for the hundredth time that he could make everything normal again with a single wish.  
  
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Chad grimaced at the sound of tiny claws digging into the cotton of his tee- shirt once again for a better grip. The gray fuzzball purred when he scolded it, and Chad shook his head at the sound of Theresa's tinkling laughter. "I think Smoky likes you." "Yeah." Chad tried not to smile as he peeled the kitten off his upper body, "this is the 3rd shirt of mine she's ruined this week." "She's just showing you how much she cares," Theresa teased, plopping down in Chad's lap and grabbing the kitten out of his hands. Smoky pushed her tiny head against Theresa's palm, practically begging to be stroked. Theresa curled her fingers around the kitten's skull as she nestled it against her chest, scratching lightly behind its ears. "You're going to have to take her home with you, you know," Theresa finally said, brown eyes sparkling with unreleased laughter. "She's already adopted you, and I think she's got pretty good taste." "I ain't taking no cat home. I'm a dog man, girl. What would it do to my rep." Chad trailed off, grinning when Theresa started giggling. "What?" she prodded, almost shrieking when she felt his big hands closing around her thighs and going behind her knees, pulling her tight against him. "The cat has good taste?" "Chad!" Theresa cried, pushing at his chest playfully and making them both tumble back further into the mountain of pillows on the sofa. "Oh! Chad!" Theresa exclaimed, scrambling off of Chad's lap after catching a glance of the clock and sending the startled kitten scurrying into the quiet corner basket its mother and littermates were dozing in. "The Youth Center!" "Theresa.Chief Bennett asked if he could fill in, and I didn't think Sheridan would mind. I figured it'd give him something to do, you know. Take his mind off of things," Chad soothingly reminded her, and Theresa took a deep breath, calming herself down and settling back into Chad's open arms. She sighed, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms tighter around Chad's waist as he stroked her hair, resting his chin atop her head. "It almost feels wrong.laughing. Doing all the things we've always done when everything's so messed up." "Living's not wrong. It's just something we got to do," Chad said quietly. It was something he wholeheartedly believed.  
Chapter 50  
  
"Grandpa," Faith wrinkled up her nose as she stared at the orange globe in her hands. "Yeah?" Sam smiled at her, his hands outstretched to block her. When Myles skittered past he grabbed him up in his arms and swept him over his shoulder, causing the little boy to laugh and Faith to roll her blue eyes at them. The basketball bounced then rolled to a stop in front of Sam's feet when Faith released it. "You've been cheating, and I still suck at basketball. I don't think I want to play anymore. Sorry," she muttered apologetically. "S'okay," Sam said, lowering Myles to his feet and following his granddaughter to the crafts table on the other side of the Youth Center after tossing the basketball to a group of children in the corner. Three sets of blue eyes stared at the table's lone occupant in concern.  
  
Myles pulled at his sweater nervously, tucking himself safely into Sam's side as Sam crouched down and held out his hand. "Lissy?" Sam questioned gently. "Lissy, is something wrong?" Lissy turned tearful chocolate eyes to him, sniffling as she shoved a heavy lock of tawny hair behind her ear. "My grandpa's real sick, and Daddy had to go to the hospital with him. Mr. Sam.Daddy said Grandpa had a stroke, but I don't understand. Does that mean he's going to die?"  
  
"Faith.go show Myles how to put that puzzle we looked at earlier in the office together." Faith started to protest at getting Myles detail again but decided it wasn't worth it and took her little brother's hand with a sigh. She helped him climb into the chair behind the desk and pulled out the puzzle for him, leaving it to him to figure out which piece went where. She had better things to do, like satisfy her curiosity. Too bad she couldn't get closer, she thought disappointedly, hanging onto the doorframe and straining her ears to hear what Grandpa was telling Lissy.  
  
"Faif," Myles called, and Faith whipped around, waving her annoying kid brother off with a hand. She'd told him how many times it was Faith and not Faif, but did he listen? Big fat N-O! She turned around to see Grandpa hugging Lissy and wiping away her tears. He said something else, and Lissy was nodding her head, and Faith couldn't stand it. She wanted to hear what they were saying. It wasn't fair. She got stuck with Myles every time and missed all the good stuff.  
  
"Faif! Look!" Myles cried, kicking his feet against the desk and demanding her attention. "What?" Faith whined. "Myles.can't you see I'm busy? I don't wanna.Myles! Put that down! It's not yours. You're going to break it," she grumbled, yanking the picture frame out of his hands and setting it back on the desk. "She's pretty," Myles said, pointing and blushing at the same time. Faith studied the picture, tracing her small fingers over Ali's face and admiring the long blond hair she'd always wanted but never got. Not even after wishing on candles or stars or anything. "Yeah," she admitted grudgingly. Ali WAS pretty. It just wasn't fair, Faith thought with a frown. "That's Ali," Faith told her brother.  
  
"Awi," Myles grinned, clapping his hands and eliciting yet another eye- rolling from his sister. "Wanna go see Awi," he said, tumbling from the chair and nearly falling at Faith's feet. "It's Ali, and you can't go see her, Stupid. She's in the hospital." Myles's face fell and his pink lips formed into a pout. "Awi sick?" "Yeah," Faith muttered, shaking her red head at him, thoroughly annoyed for the hundredth time that she wasn't at home in Chicago with all her friends and her school and her puppy. And she felt all mean and aggravated. "Ali's going to die. Just like Aunt Kay," she said, watching tears well up in Myles's blue eyes. "Granpa!" Myles cried, running past her and burying his face against Sam's denim clad thigh. Her grandpa's face held so much disappointment, and Faith couldn't look him in the eye. So she stared at her feet instead and wished even harder for the comforts of home.  
  
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"Jonathan! Jonathan!" Rebecca hissed, waving her husband forward with one hand while she held a finger of her other hand to her lips. Jonathan's blue eyes crinkled at the corners as he ambled down the hall, wondering what had his wife's interest piqued this time. She'd watched the young Lopez-Fitzgerald child like a hawk the entire day, driving the poor boy to distraction. It was obvious she made the child nervous to everyone BUT her. "Rebecca.what." "Jonathan," she shook her head. "Look," she mouthed, pointing into the bedroom their twin granddaughters shared whenever they stayed the night. Jonathan's lips twisted up in amusement when he spied Emily, dolled up in one of Gwen's old party dresses. Stuffed bosoms and all. Emmy's cheeks were a scarlet red, and her eyes were painted a vivid blue. Aha! So someone had ferreted out his wife's makeup supply and put it to use. "It's all replaceable, Dear. My wallet can handle it."  
  
Rebecca grasped his arm hard when he turned to leave, yanking him back beside her. "The Lopez-Fitzgerald child.he's got on a dress too. You don't suppose.it's such a shame. Luis is such a MAN," she almost purred, resting a hand on her chest and getting a faraway look in her blue eyes. "Rebecca," Jonathan chuckled, ignoring her comment about a man less than half her age. A married man that wasn't him. "He's a child. They're playing, and if it makes any difference to your ridiculous notions, he doesn't seem to be enjoying himself at all. Sara's wearing pants. You're not analyzing that," he pointed out. He shook his head when she 'hmphed' and pranced into the bedroom, announcing it was time for the children to take their baths.  
  
Playing dress-up and dolls had worried her, but their two little girls sharing a tub with the child almost gave her a heart attack. The bubbles and underwear worn under the water did nothing to alleviate her hysteria. Jonathan sent her to bed with a firm shove out the bathroom door, holding out towels for each of the youngsters. Emily giggled as he wrapped the towel around her tiny shoulders, proudly showing off her Barbie panties, rubbing her nose against his and fluttering her eyelashes against his cheeks. "I love you, Grandpa," she singsonged, skipping out of the bathroom door and leaving a wet trail behind her. Sara rolled dark eyes after her sister, and Jonathan found himself grinning as he toweled her chin-length brown hair dry. "She's such a girl," Sara muttered, glancing down at the bugs that adorned her own underwear. "Lame-O Barbie," Sara gagged. "Mine glow in the dark," she pointed out, slipping and sliding out the bathroom door. "They're cool."  
  
"Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Jonathan turned to Cristian with a benevolent smile. "It's been a pleasure, young Sir," he said, offering a hand to the tiny dark boy after he'd pulled his pajama top over his head. Cristian's brown eyes sparkled and a tiny smile crossed his lips as he pressed his palm against Jonathan's. "Thank you," Cristian said quietly, and Jonathan's smile widened as the boy allowed him to lead him out the door. "You enjoy my granddaughters' company?" Cristian's eyes were wide and dark and serious as he nodded his head slowly. "They enjoy yours," Jonathan told him, relieved to find that Sara and Emily had already changed into their pajamas when he and Cristian entered the bedroom. He chuckled when he saw that the two twin beds occupying the room had been pushed together, and Emily came forward, giving Cristian's hand a firm pull. "Cristian's sleeping in the crack," Sara announced, bouncing onto one side of the bed and pushing the covers back. "Won't he fall in?" Emily inquired of her grandpa worriedly, twirling the skirt of her pink nightgown as she waited for his answer. "Emmy, you Retard!" Sara cried. "He's not going to fall in. He's too big." "But what if he does? Sara, switch places with him. Please," Emily pleaded. "I'm not stupid," Sara declared. "I don't want to listen to you cry all night 'cause you can't sleep by Cristian neither." "Girls, girls!" Jonathan called, interrupting their tiff and getting their attention. "Cristian's your guest. I think you should ask him where he wants to sleep." "In the middle," Cristian answered diplomatically. Pleasing BOTH girls. "See that, Son?" Jonathan turned to Cristian, smiling into his dazed dark eyes. "You already got them fighting over you. I'd say you're a lucky young man," he said with a wink.  
  
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"Love you too, Babe. See you tomorrow. Yeah. G'night," Hank finished, punching the off button on the cordless telephone and leaning forward to place it on the coffee table. The vertebrae in his back popped as he leaned back against the couch, and he grimaced. Jake arched a dark brow at him over the top of the heaping bowl of popcorn. "Getting old, aren't you, Dad?" Hank just smirked, ruffling Jake's spikes as well as he could manage. "Life Lesson Number 2.NEVER tell the Old Man he's getting old. Always pretend he's as young and eager as the Michael Jordan's out there." "Dad," Jake pointed out with a roll of his brown eyes. "Michael Jordan IS old." "Shaq then." "Shaq's kind of old too, Dad," Jake grinned. Hank took one look at his son slouched next to him in only his Smiley face boxers and white socks and laughed heartily. "I tried to convince your mom to name you Hank Jr., but she wouldn't do it. Said you were your own person. Boy was she wrong."  
  
Jake just grinned, popping another kernel of popcorn into his mouth as he turned his attention back to the wrestling match on the television. One of the wrestlers 'cracked' a metal chair over the other one's head, and Jake hooted at the T.V. screen, giving his dad a high five. "Your mom would have my ass for condoning such violence," Hank mentioned offhandedly, as he took another slurp of his soda. "Good thing Mom's not here, huh?" Jake wiggled his dark brows, brown eyes twinkling devilishly. "Hey, Dad. Can I have another soda?" Jake fished for a response out of his dad. "This popcorn's really salty," he said, grabbing his throat to demonstrate how great his need was for the soda. "Sure, Little Buddy. Maybe some butter will make it better," he said, handing the popcorn bowl to Jake as he headed toward the kitchen. "You know what?" he said, lumbering to his own white-socked feet and adjusting his red boxers with hearts all over them. "I think I'll give you a hand." Really good thing Mom wasn't here, Jake thought as he looked back at the carnage they were leaving in their wake. He was going to have to skip school again tomorrow just to clean up the mess in time. Skip school, he thought with a grin. NO biggie.  
  
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"Shane.I'm perfectly capable of driving myself home," Abby rolled her hazel eyes down at her brother from her vantage point on the last step of the stairs leading into the Lobster Shack. "I'm not drunk. Hell. I'm not even hung-over anymore. I'm fine. I'm full. And I'm ready to go home. You don't have to babysit me anymore. Is this all because you found me in Nick's bed this morning? I told you.as far as I know, I didn't.we didn't.trust me. It's been so long I wouldn't forget it if I had mindblowing sex." Shane grimaced, grabbing her hand and pulling her off the last step, reaching a hand down to tuck her wild tawny hair behind her ear. "I'm your brother. Not your priest." "Are you kidding?" Abby scoffed. "I'd give poor Father Lonagin heart failure if I confessed EVERYTHING, all the impure, insane thoughts that run through my head to him during confessional."  
  
"Your girlfriend then," Shane chuckled. "I love you, Runt," he sighed, pulling Abby into a bear hug and pressing his lips to the crown of her head. Abby grinned against his chest. "What? No words of wisdom to impart? No warnings against doing something stupid? No nothing?" "Nope," Shane shook his head, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "I trust you." "Somebody pinch me 'cause I've drank myself into the Twilight Zone," Abby cracked, laughing at him as she backed away. "I love you too, Shane. I'm glad you're here." "Will you still be glad tomorrow?" Shane grinned, waving at her as she walked to her car. "Maybe. Maybe not," Abby's mouth quirked up at the corners.  
  
Shane watched his sister's car pull out onto the road and disappear into the darkness, shivering against the cold night air and stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat. He heard the sound of a step creaking behind him and turned around, hazel eyes locking with a pair of blue-green eyes that'd caught his attention at the Book Café this morning. "Are you waiting for someone?" he asked after spending several minutes of silence with the owner of those entrancing eyes. One leather-gloved hand raised to brush an errant strand of pale hair from her lips, and he gave the woman a friendly smile once it appeared he was under a moment's intense scrutiny. "You're Abby's brother?"  
  
"Yes," Shane replied, reaching out a cold-reddened fist. "Shane. And your name?" She seemed amused by his question, her lips twitching into a smile as she answered simply, "Ivy." "Nice to meet you," he said sincerely. "Left my gloves at the B & B," he explained needlessly as he gripped her hand in his own. "Grace's B & B?" Ivy questioned, slightly surprised that he'd let Abby drive away just seconds ago. "It's a beautiful night out," he said, answering her unasked question. "I thought I'd enjoy the walk, get to know a little bit more about Harmony." "You'll freeze to death. The cold." ".is invigorating," Shane grinned. "Nevertheless, I should get going pretty soon. Pleasure meeting you, Ivy," he repeated, turning in the direction opposite the Bed and Breakfast. Ivy watched him leave, shaking her head. She flipped her purse open, pulling her cell phone out and punching in Ethan's number without really thinking. She told him to pick her up at the B & B instead of the Lobster Shack and hurried down the steps, almost slipping in her haste. "Shane!" she called, waving him forward with a hand when his head turned in her direction. "You're going the wrong way. The B & B's that way," she informed him, pointing behind her. "If you go that way, you'll never get there," she said, finding herself laughing with him as he jogged toward her, nearly falling himself before she steadied him with a hand to his arm. Very attractive indeed, she thought as she found herself staring into smiling hazel eyes. Very, very attractive.  
  
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Sheridan sighed softly as Luis nuzzled her neck, wrapping his arms around her middle and giving her body a gentle tug into his. She smiled as she felt his lips whispering against her skin, and twisted her head around to look into his sparkling dark eyes after glancing once more at Ali. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" "Just as beautiful as her mother," Luis agreed, dipping his head to press a soft kiss to her mouth. Sheridan's blue eyes grew bright in the dim light of the room and her expression solemn as she gazed at Ali's slight little body resting beneath the sheets on the hospital bed next to them. "She's going to be even more breathtaking when she grows up." Sheridan thanked him silently for saying WHEN not IF when he spoke by bringing one of the hands that rest on her gently curved belly to her lips and kissing it. "Luis?" "Hmm," Luis murmured against her ear, making her shiver. "Do you think she knows how precious she is to us?" "I think she's got a pretty good idea that she and Cristian are our world," he said, smiling against her shoulder. "And this little one," he said, slipping his warm hands beneath the shirt she wore and caressing the bare skin over her womb.  
  
The sheets tangled around her legs as she shifted and turned in his arms, resting her forehead against his and bringing them nose to nose. Breathing the same air. Luis kept his hands between them, protectively placed over the child within her belly as he looked deeply into her blue eyes. "Do you want a girl or a boy?" she asked several minutes later, resting her hands on his chest, directly over his heart. She could feel its steady, calming beat beneath her palms. One of her legs lay atop one of his thighs, and they pressed against each other from head to toe. "It doesn't matter," Luis whispered. "I'll love this baby.our baby.no matter what." "Good answer," she teased with a smile. "Does that mean you don't want to find out the sex tomorrow?" "I didn't say that," Luis grinned. "I'll be happy if we find out she's alright." "She, Luis? I thought it didn't matter." "Go to sleep, Sheridan," Luis shook his head, kissing her fluttering eyelids. She did. And she dreamed about a beautiful little angel. With her daddy's smile.  
  
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An angel with wise brown eyes watched over them from up high. She watched with tears streaming down her silky cheeks a woman tucking two dark-haired little boys into bed, humming Spanish lullabies though the smallest boy could not hear the music. She ached to take the broken man watching the woman and two little boys into her arms and tell him it was all going to be okay. It was all going to work out. Somehow. "I know you're sorry," she whispered, hoping the red-curled child with the guilty blue eyes and trembling chin could hear her and find some comfort in the knowledge that she wasn't the only sister who'd said things she didn't mean. "I'm here, Mom. I'm okay," she ached to tell the auburn-haired woman who weeped silently in her husband's arms. "Take care of her, Dad," she murmured. And to her friends and family she willed them to feel her love. "Don't give up," she urged her tawny-haired friend whose heart couldn't help but do a little hurting of its own and whose hazel eyes couldn't believe the closed door. "Don't be silly. He likes you, Abby. He's fighting it, he's denying it, but he's failing so badly." She smiled as she envisioned the blue-eyed angel of a mother's dreams and encouraged two whose strength had been tested time and again, "Hope lives on. Tell them I said so Ali."  
  
And the little girl with her golden halo smiled in her sleep as she felt an angel's kiss on her brow. 


	11. Chapter 51

Chapter 51  
  
January had melted into February, and though Kay's absence still hurt.the hurt had slowly started to shift from the raw, desperate pain to a more muted version-a lingering ache. Life plodded along, but with none of the usual ordinariness. Not that life in Harmony had ever been commonplace before. But it was even more different somehow with everything happening seemingly without a plan, and people coming together, reconnecting as they recognized the reality and brevity of life for what it was, Pilar thought silently as she wheeled the grocery cart through the aisles. Joshua was perched in the seat in front of her, his short legs dangling and kicking back and forth in the air as he gnawed on the cookie in his left hand. He was getting crumbs everywhere, and she knew he was probably ruining his appetite for dinner, but none of that concerned Pilar as she filled the cart with items both for her son's household and her own. What concerned her was taking care of her son and grandsons. And making sure they at least had the requirements to be well-fed and well-taken care of when they weren't under her roof even if Miguel hadn't quite figured how to master that challenge yet on his own. Her children were grown, but she'd never stop being their mother.  
  
She pushed the cart down the aisles, holding her tongue in check and politely thanked the well-wishers offering their condolences a month late. She smiled tightly at them as they cast sympathetic glances on her unsuspecting grandson, their whispers low but not silent to her ears as they lamented his deafness. Joshua's dark eyes watched her, and she leaned her cheek into his crumb-filled palm when he reached it out, kissing it and making him smile. Her smile was bittersweet as she rubbed the same cheek against his dark head affectionately and whispered his name against his temple. She continued pushing the cart, more slowly, as she contemplated something that had crossed her mind more times than she could count the past month-Joshua's aborted surgery. She knew Miguel hadn't given it much thought lately, that his mind was full with other, simpler things that seemed to take so much out of him. But it was time. Past time, really. She was going to say something to him about it tonight when he and MJ came for dinner. She knew Kay wouldn't have let it go like this.  
  
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"Mommy," Ali said as she wandered into the kitchen, "I want to help." Sheridan's hands paused over the vegetables in the sink, and she turned to Ali with a smile, rubbing her damp hands on a dishtowel. "Come here," she beckoned with her index finger. Ali did as she asked, giggling when Sheridan scooped her up in her arms, grunting softly with the effort, and deposited her on the kitchen counter beside the sink. "Mommy," Ali scolded, remembering her daddy's warnings not to let Mommy pick up anything heavy when he wasn't around, no matter how stubborn she was about it. "Don't tell, Daddy," Sheridan requested, kissing the tip of Ali's cute nose. "You're light as a feather anyway," she said, her blue eyes betraying the truth-Ali was too light. She practically swam in a pair of blue jeans that were already small, and her ribs were prominent beneath Sheridan's fingertips as rest her hands across the breadth of Ali's tiny waist. Sheridan smiled as she felt Ali's little arms wrap around her shoulders, and the two of them just held on to each other for several minutes. Until a surprised voice asked a very pertinent question. "Ali Lopez-Fitzgerald, how on earth did you get up there?"  
  
Sparkling blue eyes met sparkling blue eyes, and Ali couldn't speak for the giggles that escaped her lips as she tried to tell Theresa she'd somehow made it on top of the kitchen counter on her own with no stool in sight. Theresa couldn't help but laugh when she saw Ali's crossed fingers, and she shook her head lightly at them both in disapproval, dark waves of hair tumbling over her shoulders. "Sheridan, you know better," she chided, her brown eyes seeking out the swell of Sheridan's belly. "You too, Ali. It's not good for the baby for your mommy to be picking you up much anymore." Ali hung her head, the bill of the purple baseball cap Jake had presented to her with her name embroidered across the front a couple of weeks ago hiding her eyes from view. "I just wanted to help, Aunt Theresa," Ali mumbled, her blue eyes still shying away from Theresa's intent gaze when Theresa lifted her chin with her fingers. "Okay," Theresa sighed. "I promise I won't tell Luis if you two will let me help too." "Thank you, Aunt Theresa!" Ali cried gratefully, flinging her arms around Theresa's neck in a quick hug. Sheridan smiled at them both, returning to her earlier task of rinsing the vegetables.  
  
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Chad grinned as he watched Cristian chase Max in circles, stumbling every few steps and sinking into snow banks sometimes as deep as his knees. Each time that happened, Cristian managed to save himself, with a little help from the eager golden retriever, before Chad could offer a hand. Chad had to admire the kid's determination, and when he complimented Cristian, he had to chuckle at the kid's slightly embarrassed blush. He guessed he'd be prone to blushing too if he spent as much time with the Hank and Gwen's twin daughters as the little guy did. Those two were just too much. Constantly in a tug of war these days over Cristian's attention. He gave it ten more years, though, before it got really interesting. "Hey, Little Man," Chad called. "Don't you think it's about time we went inside? I bet Max would like to curl up in front of that fireplace and take a nice long nap." Cristian grabbed the retriever's collar and gave it a firm tug as he started trudging back to Chad's side. "Are you cold, Uncle Chad?" Cristian asked quizzically, deciding 'Uncle Chad' DID sound better than 'Cousin Chad' even if it wasn't exactly true. Chad chuckled, both in surprise at being called 'Uncle' and the kid figuring out his main reason for wanting to go inside. He was sure he was going to freeze his under-clothed ass off if they stayed outside too much longer. "Yeah," Chad grinned. "You got me, Little Man. I'm C-O-L-D. What are we waiting for? Race you," Chad challenged. "You're on," Cristian told him with twinkling brown eyes. "Come on, Max. I know we can beat Uncle Chad."  
  
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Cristian giggled raucously as Chad struggled to climb to his feet after stepping into a particularly nasty snow bank and taking a nose dive that had had him spread-eagled for several stunned seconds before he even made a move to get up. It wasn't as easy as it looked, Chad discovered, grinning despite himself when Max tugged at his sleeve with his teeth. The dog tried, but pulling a five year-old out of the snow and a man his age had to be worlds apart in difference. It didn't help matters any that Chad found himself too weak with laughter to make a substantial effort to move. He heard the slamming of a car door, and the crunching of boots on snow that followed leading to his prone body and gave Abby a wicked grin the moment her hand grasped his. "Thanks, H-C," Abby rolled her hazel eyes down at him from her sprawled position on his chest with a wry grin. "You just ruined my designer duds." "H-C?" Chad inquired. "What the." Abby tossed her tawny hair off her shoulders and pushed herself to a kneeling position with her hand still on his chest. Chad sat up, giving her faded jeans and the gray sweatshirt that looked to be extra-extra large on her petite frame an incredulous look. "Designer duds, huh?" "Only the finest for dinner at Casa de Lo-Fitz," Abby answered with a wink in Cristian's direction. "What do you think, H-C? Think we can try this again, or are you go all cutesy on me and yank me down into the snow again? You know.if you wanted a hug, all you had to do was ask," she teased, offering him a hand after she'd scrambled to her feet once more. Chad took her hand, hauling himself upright and shocking the hell out of her when he sprinted toward the front door, Cristian and Max in hot pursuit. "Damn," she grumbled under her breath as she arrived at the front door a couple minutes later, craning her head around to glance at the seat of her pants. "My ass is wet."  
  
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Shane lowered his copy of the Harmony Herald and peered across the Book Café at what had to be this establishment's most frequent customer-or rather, visitor, disregarding him, of course. He'd crossed paths with Ivy Crane countless times since her spontaneous offer to be his unofficial Harmony tour guide that night several weeks ago. But it had taken a little bit of digging to find out her full name. Abby'd given him the Cliff Notes version of Ivy Crane's illustrious life, and he found himself increasingly fascinated with each new detail that he discovered. To say the Lady of the House of Crane intrigued him was an understatement. He also-quite superficially, he admitted to himself-found her a very beautiful woman in a town full of beautiful women. He lay his newspaper down, observing her and her son from afar. "Mr. Stone." He jerked his hazel eyes away from Ivy and smiled up at Beth as she refilled his coffee. "Thanks. Call me, Shane. Mr. Stone sounds.just call me Shane," he requested again. Beth smiled easily at him, and he noticed her brown eyes straying to his discarded newspaper, open at the classifieds. "I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly when he caught her staring. "Are you looking for anything in particular? Maybe I can help." "No, I.maybe you can," he said, smiling back at her. "You know anyone willing to hire another suit?"  
  
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"So," Sheridan began softly, watching Abby's expression carefully as she helped her set the dining room table. "Your brother's staying in Harmony. How do you feel about that?" "The pain in the ass is only staying to keep tabs on me," Abby muttered, tucking a stubborn strand of tawny hair behind her ear. "Is that so?" Sheridan smirked, arching a golden brow at her friend. "You betcha," Abby answered. "But it's odd. I don't really mind that much. He'd be kind of nice to have around if he didn't persist in scaring every man with an ounce of interest in me for a 100-mile radius away." Sheridan laughed, straightening the napkins beside each plate and absently arranging the silverware. "He hasn't frightened the one that counts away, has he?" Abby raised surprised hazel eyes to Sheridan's understanding blue eyes. "No," she said, releasing a pent-up breath. "I'm doing a bang-up job of scaring the hell out of that man on my own," she answered, grateful for the distraction from Sheridan's perplexed expression when Luis strolled into the dining room and unceremoniously pulled Sheridan into his arms for a long, slow kiss that had Abby blushing slightly in embarrassment when she wasn't turning green with envy. "God, you two make me sick," she rolled her eyes in mock disgust at them. "Get a room. Not this room," she hastily added. "Luis, can't you keep your hands to yourself? You already knocked her up. Geez.some people." "Jealous?" Luis teased, wiggling his dark brows in her direction. "Hardly," Abby scoffed, sauntering out of the room and into the living room. "I remember well how much of a stubborn ass you can be. Dinner's served," they heard her announce just seconds later. "Come and get it." "I have the oddest urge to moo in response," Sheridan giggled against Luis's neck. Luis grinned, kneading some of the tension out of the muscles of her lower back before sliding his arms back around her front and cupping his hands against her belly. "Hey, Baby Girl," he whispered, resting his forehead against his wife's forehead. "Daddy's home."  
  
Chapter 52  
  
Dinner was over, Theresa and Chad were in the kitchen doing the dishes as a favor to Sheridan and an effort to keep her off her feet, and Luis was lounging on the sofa watching his son excitedly describe every last detail of his ultrasound experience to Abby, who lay curled up on her side with Cristian resting against her hip. Max lifted his head from his paws every few minutes to gaze adoringly at Abby and thump his tail, and Luis had to grin when Abby rolled her hazel eyes in exasperation and scratched behind the retriever's ears. "Dumb dog," she muttered under her breath. But Max was the least of her problems tonight, Luis thought with an ill-concealed chuckle. For some inexplicable reason, one of Miss Priss's demon progeny had adopted their resident clown, following her around like.well, like Max. At least Max had an excuse though. He WAS a dog. Lucky, the ironically named kitten, had already caused Abby to trip over her own feet twice and collide with Chad once more. The kitten was currently thoroughly entertaining itself in the loose curtain of Abby's tawny hair. 'DAMNED CAT!" Abby yelled, scrambling to her feet when the kitten changed tactics and orchestrated a surprise pounce directly at her face. "I mean darn," she sputtered when Cristian stared up at her with wide brown eyes. "Darned cat," she grumbled, shaking her leg when Lucky tried to scale her jeans leg. "What the hell is going on here? Am I releasing some kind of pheromones only your pets can detect?"  
  
Luis rumbled with laughter, and Cristian just looked confused for a few moments until he reverted back to his ultrasound chatter. "Hey, Abby," he said, giving Abby's sweatshirt sleeve a tug. "Want to see my baby? The doctor gave me a video so I could watch it and see what she looks like again whenever I wanted to." "Sure, Kiddo," Abby grinned affably. "But do you mind if we sit on the sofa with your dad? I'm not as young as I used to be." "At least you don't look as old as Sara and Emily's grandma," Cristian's voice was muted as he ducked down to dig out the ultrasound tape. "Who said anything about old?" Abby scoffed, hazel eyes twinkling. "Are you kidding? Booby's old enough to be MY grandmother," Abby said, scrunching up her nose and sticking her tongue out at Max when he ambled across the room and plopped down at her feet. "Her name's Booby?" Cristian asked, a perplexed expression on his face to rival his earlier confusion. "Did I say 'Booby'?" Abby flapped her hand in the air, tucking her feet beneath her. "Becky. Her name's Becky." The television came alive with a grainy image that had Cristian grinning like the proud big brother he couldn't wait to be. Luis glanced at Abby out of the corner of his eye, finding her strangely quiet as they watched the image on the television while Cristian narrated. "Hey," he covered her hand with his. "Abby? Are you okay? I know you can't tell much, but you're looking at a beautiful little lady. She's going to cry the first time she sees you too, Aunt Abby." Abby swallowed hard, rolled her hazel eyes at him as she pulled her hand away, and forced a sarcastic comment past the apparent lump in her throat, "It's a Kodak moment, thank you. I want some popcorn. Cristian, you want popcorn? Aunt Abby.you better believe it," she grumbled under her breath, walking toward the kitchen. Lucky pouncing after her.  
  
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MJ slid his arms around his grandpa, hugging him tightly in goodbye and kissing his cheek. His dark eyes watched his grandpa's hands at work, zipping up his parka. Doubling his red scarf loosely around his neck. Reaching up to pat him affectionately on the head as he whispered, "Goodnight, Lad." MJ's eyes wandered around the small living room, landing on his brother's still form. Joshua was cuddled under a blanket on the sofa, his thumb in his mouth. Dad and Grandma were talking about something, arguing it almost looked like, glancing down at his little brother from time to time. MJ sighed heavily, crossing the living room and stopping beside his dad. "Dad," he grabbed his dad's hand, giving it a gentle but insistent tug. "You said Joshua was coming home with us tonight. You said, Dad. You promised." MJ frowned when his dad shook his hand free, leaning down to smooth Joshua's dark bangs from his forehead gently. "Not tonight, MJ." "But Dad." MJ whined. "Tomorrow," his dad promised. "He's already asleep, and we shouldn't wake him up. We'll get him tomorrow, MJ." "Yeah right," MJ mumbled. Like his dad's promises meant much anymore. MJ crossed his arms over his chest and waited sullenly near the front door. He let his grandma kiss him goodnight without complaint, but when his dad tried to grab his hand as they left the house, he shrugged away from him.  
  
"What were you and Grandma fighting about?" he asked, dark eyes closing in on his dad's face in the dark interior of their car as they drove away. His dad's jaw twitched when he asked that, and MJ knew he'd made him a little angry with his remark. "Grandma and I weren't fighting," his dad answered him. "Do you have your seat belt on? I shouldn't have let you sit in the front seat," he frowned, turning his blinker on. "I don't want to sit in the back by myself," MJ protested. "I was going to sit in the back with Joshua. He was supposed to come home with us, Dad. You promised." MJ kicked up at the dashboard with his snow-covered boots. "I told you.I didn't want to wake him up. He was asleep." "You're just saying that," MJ scowled. "Mom wouldn't leave him at Grandma's all the time. Mom wouldn't lie and say it was because he was asleep." "MJ! That's enough!" his dad barked. "I didn't lie." "Yes, you did," MJ shot back indignantly. "You did, and you were fighting with Grandma about his surgery. You don't want him to have it. Why, Dad? Why?" MJ practically screamed. "Take me back to Grandma's," he demanded. "I don't want to stay with you. Take me back to my brother." MJ refused to meet his dad's stare. Not even when he slammed the car into reverse on the deserted street and turned the car around. Somebody had to teach his dad a lesson.  
  
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The bubbles in the tub almost swallowed Ali's tiny body up, Sheridan thought, swallowing past the lump in her throat as she stared at her baby girl's reflection in the mirror opposite the tub. With the loss of much of her golden hair, Ali was self-conscious in front of her lately. She still allowed her in the bathroom with her during her baths, but she liked it better if Sheridan didn't watch her. So.Ali took her favored bubble baths, still singing her made-up songs, and still chattering away like a little bird to her mommy's listening ear. But Sheridan leaned back against a mountain of pillows Ali always thoughtfully remembered for her placed against the porcelain tub and watched her little girl without her knowledge, all the while playing the part of a type of confessor as Ali shared her innermost secrets with her. "Mommy?" "Yeah, Baby?" Sheridan said softly, watching Ali's face in the mirror's reflection, the way her blue eyes grew so wistful, and her hands would drift to her head and gingerly rub over the soft strands still there. "Do you miss stuff?" Ali murmured. "What kind of stuff?" Sheridan asked, aching to kiss the thin, translucent eyelids that hid the blue eyes she adored so much and gather her fragile little daughter into her arms and wish away all her pain and all the terrible things that had EVER happened to her. Her lips managed a tiny smile when Ali shrugged her slim shoulders in the bubbles, despite the fact that she wasn't supposed to be able to see her, "Stuff," she whispered.  
  
Sheridan watched Ali scoop a handful of bubbles in her palms and blow at them gently. The bubbles floated in the air, some making wet circles on the tile floor on contact, others escaping into Ali's bedroom and beyond. "Ballet," Ali said suddenly. "I miss ballet, Mommy. I didn't get to be in the recital," she lamented. "I'm sure Daddy and Cristian would love for you to dance for them. Just as much as I would." Ali shifted, pulling her knees up and resting her chin on them, and bubbles and water splashed over the sides of the tub. Sheridan thought she heard her whisper, "It wouldn't be the same," but she remained silent, letting Ali voice her thoughts. "I miss school, Mommy. My teacher and my friends. I don't get to see Jake at recess anymore. Ms. Kinsay probably gave my seat next to Lissy away." Sheridan smiled as she thought of Ali's attachment to Jake. "Jake still comes to see you all the time," she reminded Ali. "And I'm sure Ms. Kinsay is saving that seat for you until you get better." Ali seemed relieved by her answer, but Sheridan was horrified when gazed into the mirror she saw Ali's chin quiver and tears well in her blue eyes. "AliCat? Sweetie?" "I miss Daddy telling me my hair's pretty," Ali admitted tearfully, "and you braiding it for me at night, and.oh Mommy," she gulped, trying to hold back the sobs that threatened to escape. "I'm ugly, Mommy. My hair's ugly, and Daddy's never going to think I'm pretty again." Sheridan turned around without another moment's hesitation and pulled Ali's soapy body close, cradling the back of her skull in her hands as she pressed kisses to her sweet-smelling skin. "No. No, Sweetie. You're beautiful. The most beautiful little girl to me in the entire world, and Daddy thinks so, and Cristian, and so does Jake. You're beautiful, Baby. Inside and out," she told Ali in a strangled voice. "Shh. Shh. It's going to be okay. Mommy promises, Angel."  
  
Chapter 53  
  
Theresa returned her toothbrush to its rightful place, turned off the bathroom's bright light, and wandered back into the bedroom with her long dark hair piled on top of her head and the sleeves of Chad's robe rolled up to her elbows. She giggled at the picture in front of her. Chad lay sprawled across the bed, white sheets tangled around his waist and a gray ball of fur curled up on his bare chest. Chad cracked one dark eye open, smirking at her in thinly veiled amusement. "I was in the middle of giving her the house rules when she decided to make my chest her bed." Theresa's smile was bright as she shed the too-big robe and crawled under the covers, scooting next to Chad and resting her dark head in the crook of his arm. "And you're letting her get away with it? Chad," Theresa chided teasingly, curling her fingers up beneath the kitten's chin and scratching. "You're such a push-over," she giggled.  
  
"Hey," Chad defended his actions. "It's Smoky's first night in a new place, and she doesn't have Mama Priss breathing down her neck. Do you really want me to lock her up in the bathroom? I've heard the stories, and that's just not the way to go," he told Theresa with a grin. "Luis exaggerates," Theresa said, propping herself up on her elbow and gazing down at his smiling face. "Miss Priss is NOT the Devil's spawn." She trailed her fingertips across Chad's chin and leaned down to press a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Smoky can sleep with us tonight, but then you're going to have to make a choice. Me or her," she challenged, brown eyes sparkling down at him. "Oh that's easy," Chad answered immediately, a devilish sparkle lighting up his own dark eyes. "I'm sure the couch is comfortable for someone with legs so short," he deadpanned. "Chad!"  
  
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Pilar pulled MJ's sweater over his dark head, reaching for the pajamas laid across the bed next to her. MJ lifted his arms, helping her slip the pajama top into place, then he pushed his jeans down his hips and stepped out of them. He glanced down at the Spiderman pants skimming his ankles and frowned. "They're too little, Grandma." "You're growing," Pilar answered with a small, bittersweet smile. "Out of everything," she added, cupping his baby-soft cheek in the palm of her hand. "This weekend I'll take you and Joshua shopping for new clothes if you like." "Mom used to do that," MJ mumbled, dark eyes focusing on the floor beneath his bare feet. He let his grandma gather him into her arms, and Pilar rest her chin atop his head, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "You miss your mom, don't you?" she murmured, stroking her hands down MJ's back in gentle, calming motions. She felt him nod his head against her neck, and the tell-tale moisture of tears against her skin. "It's okay to miss her, Mijo," she told him. "You don't have to pretend."  
  
MJ stiffened, leaving her arms, and Pilar was shocked to see no more tears in his eyes. "MJ?" she questioned, helping him turn the blankets back and crawl into bed beside his already sleeping brother. "Dad said Aunt Jessica's taking me and Joshua for the weekend. She and Myles have to go home soon. Faith already went home with Uncle Reese 'cause she had to go back to school." Pilar tucked the blankets securely around both of her grandsons and smiled down at MJ as she combed his short, short hair back from his forehead. "I'll talk to your father, and we'll plan something soon," she whispered, her smile faltering when she witnessed the way MJ's dark eyes seemed to close her out at the mention of Miguel. "Sleep, Mijo. Rest. We have to get up early tomorrow. You need some clean clothes for school." MJ stayed silent, turning onto his side and draping his arm across Joshua's waist. She turned the light in the closet on and left the door partially open, her eyes drifting around the room one last time before she pulled the door shut behind her. Miguel didn't look up as she walked into the living room, too intent on pouring over the latest research and details concerning Joshua's surgery. She sighed softly and slipped away. Thanks to HIS son, HER son was on the right track again, and she sent up a prayer of thanks to God.  
  
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Abby let herself into the apartment with a tired sigh, toeing off her snow- slicked boots just inside the door. She flexed her toes inside the soggy pair of socks adorning her aching feet and hopped along on one foot while trying to get rid of the damned things. Not only did her feet hurt like hell for some reason, they were cold as friggin' ice. " golly !" she swore loudly when she stubbed her toe on the corner of the end table, glaring when a light flickered on in the kitchen, and she saw Nick smirking at her. "What are you laughing at?" she muttered, hobbling toward the light. And him. Gloriously bare-chested and glistening with sweat. "It's all your fault, you know. Why can't you work out with the lights ON?" she asked, somehow finding the strength not to do something royally stupid. Like finding out if his lightly tanned skin tasted like salt. The sweat and all. God, she groaned inwardly. It's sweat, Abby. Grimy, gross sweat. Shouldn't there be an "EWW" inserted in there somewhere instead of the utterly insane urge to treat him like a human popsicle? And WHY are you salivating over a man who left you cold weeks ago and has been pushing you away ever since? "That end table's still in the same place it was last week when you backed into it and trashed the lamp," Nick reminded her with a grin. "Smartass," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. "Coffee," she muttered, shivering lightly. "Make me some before I." "Before you what?" Nick teased, gray eyes laughing down at her. "Just make me the damned coffee," Abby warned, hopping onto the kitchen counter so she could look him in the eyes, "you don't want to find out."  
  
Nick complied with her wishes with a small smile, and Abby leaned her tawny head back against the cabinets and closed her hazel eyes. She mentally cursed herself for not partaking of the prime opportunity to stare at Nick's cute ass in what she assumed were the gray sweatpants that'd originally gone with the sweatshirt she refused to give back to him. Hell no, she thought, the corners of her mouth twitching as she raised sluggish eyelids to watch him reaching one long, muscled arm up to grab two coffee mugs out of the cupboards opposite her. If he wanted the sweatshirt back, he was going to have to take it back. Don't fool yourself, Abby. If Gray Eyes asked for the shirt right now, you'd yank it over your head and toss it at him. Then ask him if he wanted the boring little white bra underneath it too. Wait a minute.Abby discreetly peeked down the front of the shirt and did a silent cheer for throwing on her black lacy bra today. Gray Eyes wouldn't even have to ask. She'd give him a two for one deal. That thought made her cheeks flush slightly, and her hazel eyes were bright as they came into contact with gray. "Your coffee," Nick handed her the steaming mug with a nod of his head, and her hazel eyes stayed locked on him as she wrapped her hands around the mug and sipped the scalding black liquid. "Thank yo.Dammit!" she winced as a cramp seized her foot.  
  
Nick took the mug from her hands, setting it down on the counter beside his own mug and taking another step closer. Abby unconsciously opened her legs to let him crowd closer, and she let her head fall against his shoulder as she heard his voice, low and soothing against her ear. "Cramp?" he questioned quietly, running his hand down her thigh then along the back of her denim-encased calf. Abby moaned softly when she felt his fingers pressing into the arch of her foot. She slumped further into him in total relaxation as he continued his massage. "You're good at this. Better than good. Care to give me a full body massage?" she teased half-heartedly, groaning as the last of the tension started to seep out of her aching muscles and was rapidly replaced with sparks of pleasure as she felt his other hand push her hair aside and knead the muscles at the base of her neck. The man was turning her into a liquified sack of mush beneath his fingertips, and she was having a hard time remembering the disappointment she'd felt when he kept her at arm's length following her drunken attempt to seduce him-again. A blurring line in the sand was all that prevented them from leaving their almost friends status in the dust and becoming lovers, and Nick redefined that line every chance he got while Abby wanted to all but obliterate it.  
  
That not-so-little desire reared its stubborn head again, and Abby slid her arms around his waist, rubbing her cheek against his sweat-cooled chest. A smile quirked up her lips as she heard his heartbeat change cadence, speeding up and thudding more forcefully beneath her ear. It was her heart's turn to jump when she felt his hand slowly traveling up her leg and pausing at her hip, his thumb pushing the soft gray material of the sweatshirt she wore up and caressing her side as his hand flattened against the small of her back. Abby turned her head to nuzzle Nick's bare chest with her nose as her hands slipped down to his hips, thumbs hooking underneath the waistband of his sweatpants and digging into the soft skin she found as she pulled him closer. Her tawny hair fell loosely about her face, tickling Nick's skin and making him shiver. He jerked when he felt the moisture of her open mouth against his neck. Abby's tongue snaked along the underside of his jaw, indulging in her favored way to drive the man and herself crazy, and Nick's entire body shuddered beneath her touch. The hand at the base of her neck tensed then relaxed, flying up to the base of her skull and tangling her hair in its fingers. Abby didn't have time to do much more than drop her mouth open in surprise before Nick pulled her mouth to his in a kiss that went from gentle and playful teasing to hard, wet, and passionate in two seconds flat. Her arms went around Nick's neck effortlessly, and she drove her fingers through his dark hair, moaning appreciatively into his mouth. God, could the man kiss was her one running thought, but her wonderment was quickly overshadowed by the instinctual need for oxygen, and she tore her mouth from his breathlessly. She blinked in bewilderment as Nick's hands closed around her arms, disentangling them from his neck and lowering them to her sides, and that residual bit of hurt flared back up in her hazel eyes as he stepped away from her with an apologetic and wholly infuriating "Abby" leaving his lips. "Abby," he repeated. "We can't.I'." "Don't," Abby shook her head in warning. "Don't you dare say it." Nick stared unblinkingly into her hazel eyes, watching the gold flecks fade away to nothing only to be replaced by hardened hazel. "We just can't.," he released in a quick breath. And just as quickly, he was sucking in a harsh breath of pain as her slap cracked against his jaw. Abby jumped down from the counter and swept past Nick without another word, cradling her stinging palm close to her chest as unwelcome, angry tears pricked at her eyes. "BASTARD!" she yelled as she kicked her bedroom door shut and locked it. "Damned bastard," she cried, ripping his sweatshirt over her head and flinging it across the room. She was finished throwing herself at him. If he ever got his head out of his own ass and decided that yes, they COULD.it was going to be his move. And she wasn't above forcing a little groveling.  
  
Chapter 54  
  
Luis bent at the waist, smoothing reverent fingertips across his wife's parted lips. When Sheridan's lips curved upward gently in her sleep, he smiled down at her, stroking her blond hair back from her face and letting his lips linger against her forehead. "Luis," she sighed, her hand seeking and finding his, twining their fingers together and resting them against the swell of her belly. "It's early," she murmured, blue eyes blinking open in the soft yellow glow from the open bathroom door. "You're not in your uniform," she stated, brows creasing in confusion. Luis brought their joined hands to his mouth and pressed a tiny kiss across her knuckles. Sheridan opened her hand, cupping his jaw in her palm and drawing his mouth down to hers for a sweet, brushing of lips against each other, and when they drew apart, she was fully awake, staring up at him expectantly.  
  
"I took the day off," Luis explained, tracing his thumb along the lines in Sheridan's palm. "I have a date with someone very special," he whispered softly. "Think you and Cristian can handle a whole day without us?" he asked teasingly as he watched comprehension dawn in her beautiful, sleepy blue eyes. "It'll be tough, but I think we'll survive. Just barely," she retorted, smiling into his kiss. "Just in case, I asked Mama to check on you guys later." "Luis," Sheridan groaned. "I'm having a baby. I'm not THE baby." Luis chuckled, shaking his head at her stubborn need for independence. "For my piece of mind," he said, effectively shutting her up. "Go back to sleep. It's early still. We won't leave without saying goodbye," he promised. Sheridan nodded her head in approval and shifted into a more comfortable position on her side. "You better not," she warned him.  
  
Luis crept into Ali's room, tenderness in his touch and his eyes as he lifted one of Ali's tiny hands to his face and nuzzled her palm. "Ali.AliCat, wake up. It's Daddy," he whispered, smiling when those brilliant blue eyes he loved so dearly blinked open sleepily, and his little daughter smiled at him, slipping both her arms around his neck and nestling her head in the crease of his neck. "Daddy," Ali breathed. Luis slipped one big hand beneath the back of Ali's pink satin pajama top and rubbed her back in soothing, rhythmic motions, much as he had when she was just a tiny baby. His motions stilled as he felt the prominent ridges of her spine, and his voice wasn't as strong as he would have liked or as cheerful when he said, "Wake up, AliCat. Daddy's got a surprise waiting for you." "A surprise?" Ali questioned, a tinge of excitement creeping into her voice. Luis loved the way her blue eyes sparkled when she was happy. "A surprise," he grinned. "Just for you." "Oh, Daddy," Ali cried, curling her arms around his waist happily. "I love it! I love you." "I love you too, AliCat. We need to hurry and get you dressed or we'll miss the first part of my surprise."  
  
Luis carefully slipped the light pink sweater Ali had chosen over her head, then knelt at her feet to help tie the laces of her amusingly small black boots. He had her parka zipped up, and her hands fitted into her fuzzy white mittens, ready to go, when he noticed the stricken expression on Ali's face. "AliCat?" Luis questioned gently. "What is it?" Ali studied her reflection in the vanity mirror in front of her and raised a mittened hand to the baby blue scarf that covered her head. "They'll know, Daddy. I don't like it when they whisper and stare. I can't go," her voice fell to a barely audible whisper as she refused to meet his eyes. Luis lifted Ali's quivering chin with his forefinger and made her meet his eyes in the reflection of the mirror as he raised his hands to her head and gently removed the scarf. "Daddy, don't!" Ali cried, her eyes shying away shamefully. "Don't look, Daddy," she pleaded tearfully. "I'm ugly." Luis heart squeezed painfully in his chest at her tears and wholehearted belief in her words even though Sheridan had warned him of this.  
  
"Look at me, Ali. AliCat." Tears shimmering in her blue eyes, Ali raised her head to meet her daddy's eyes in the mirror. Luis brushed his knuckles along Ali's silky damp cheek and let them trail down her neck to the curve of her shoulder. "Ali," he whispered. "Your eyes and Mommy's eyes are my favorite shade of blue," Luis revealed, and Ali pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "I think you have the cutest little nose I've ever seen," he teased, surprising her with a quick kiss to its tip. "Nothing makes me happier than making you smile that magical smile of yours," he told her sincerely, moving his hand from her shoulder and sliding it down until it rested over her heart. "And what's inside here.AliCat, you have one of the most beautiful and loving hearts. Everything about you, even your tiny pink-painted toes," Luis gave her a small smile, "is something I love. Something I find beautiful because you're you."  
  
A shaky breath escaped Ali's lips, and her blue eyes filled with yet more tears as Luis pressed his lips to the crown of her head with its sparse covering of golden strands. "And this.don't be ashamed of this. Don't be ashamed or ever think you're ugly again, Ali, because you're wrong. This isn't ugly, AliCat. This is something beautiful. Maybe even the most beautiful. Do you know why?" Ali shook her head 'no', her blue eyes intent on her daddy's face in the reflection of the vanity mirror. "This shows how much extraordinary spirit you have. How much love and determination there is in you to leave this scary cancer behind and stick around for me and Mommy, Cristian and the baby. It's proof that you're just as stubborn as your mommy," he teased, earning a tiny, flickering smile from her. "This," he rubbed his cheek against the side of her head gently, "this shows everyone how much of a fighter you are. This is beautiful to me, AliCat," he told her, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Because it's a part of you, and it shows me your heart." He reached for a new scarf, and found his arms filled instead with his crying little daughter. They held each other for the longest time until Luis heard Ali's soft whisper near his ear. "Thank you, Daddy." He pulled back and smiled into her wet blue eyes, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs, and answered her with a heartfelt "You're welcome. Let's go give Mommy and Cristian their goodbye kisses, okay?" he said, standing up and holding out his hand. Ali took it without hesitation, a beautiful smile lighting up her adorable face. "Okay, Daddy," she breathed. And they walked out of the room. Hand in hand.  
  
Chapter 55  
  
The dappled gray mare's hooves sank into the snow with every step, and Ali squealed as the horse surged forward, its feet plunging into a deep bank of snow. Luis nudged his heels into the mare's sides, prodding her on, deeper and deeper into the winter wonderland the Crane estate had become. Daybreak was dawning in pale hues of pink and orange over the horizon, and his little daughter and he weren't going to make their appointment if they didn't hurry. Ali's laughter was sweet music to his ears, and he leaned forward to nuzzle her chilled temple as he tapped the reins lightly against the mare's neck. He smiled as he felt the flutter of her lashes against the underside of his jaw when she tipped her head up and tried to kiss him on the cheek, a fresh wave of giggles escaping her lips when she caught him on the chin instead. "Daddy, watch out!" Ali called, pointing out a low branch looming ahead, and Luis ducked, the branch still grazing the top of his head and raining snow all over his shoulders and in his dark hair. Luis shook his head to dislodge the clinging flakes, almost laughing.  
  
Ali was quite the little equestrian, and as such, maybe she should be the one in the driver's seat. But that wouldn't leave much room for him, would it? Besides.there wasn't any challenge he wouldn't gladly accept, and it wasn't like he'd NEVER been on a horse before. He could hear Sheridan's teasing voice in his head, and picture the sparkle in her blue eyes as she shook her head at him, saying, "You have to be good at everything, don't you Luis? You? Riding?" The things he wouldn't do for his Ali, he thought with an easy smile, a smile that grew into a full-fledged grin as they cleared the hushed quietness of the avenue of trees and overlooked a vista that was breathtaking in its magnificent color and scope. "It's beautiful, Daddy," Ali breathed in awe, as the pinks and oranges seemed to deepen then burn away with the morning sun before their very eyes. "It's a brand-new day, AliCat," he murmured against her ear, admiring the open ocean stretching for miles ahead of them. And they were going to make the most of it.  
  
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Ivy held the mug of coffee to her lips, smiling as she watched Luis sweep Ali out of the saddle and hug her tightly before letting her feet touch the snow-covered ground. One of the stable hands took the horse's reins, but he made no move to return the mare to her stall, instead she saw him reach into his pocket and drop something into Ali's small, mittened hand. Sugar cubes, she realized a moment later, watching the horse's lips nuzzle Ali's palm. Just from the expression on Ali's face, she could tell the little girl was giggling, and her heart warmed at the sight. Ali's happiness was something she'd helped safeguard all those years ago when Sheridan hadn't been there. Stopping hadn't even crossed her mind with Sheridan's miraculous reappearance in their lives. Ali was important to her. Just as important as she'd ever been. Now even more so, Ivy realized, because color would be a little less bright without her, and there'd always be a missing puzzle piece. She let her eyes close and said a silent prayer for Ali's well-being, wondering idly which Guardian Angel would hear her plea.  
  
Muted footsteps reached her ears, and Ivy turned around, clutching her satin robe closed, to see Beth descending the winding staircase. Ivy bit back a smile when the younger woman's eyes refused to meet hers, and she willed the awkwardness hanging in the air between them to pass quickly. "He adores her," she stated softly, turning her attention back to the scene outside the French doors. Beth sidled up next to her, her hands stilling their self-conscious motions across the rumpled fabric of her blouse, and she murmured, "It would devastate him.if she." "I know," Ivy answered grimly, smiling tightly as she watched Ali's creamy beret fall victim to the dappled gray mare's search for more sugar cubes, drifting to the snow below, and the ensuing brief tug-of-war between one very determined little girl and an equally stubborn mammal of the four-legged variety. It would likely devastate them all.  
  
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"Sara! Hank!" Gwen's voice rose a couple octaves in irritation when she saw her pre-schooler sprawled in front of the blaring television in a chocolate milk-stained yellow tank top and her underwear, her chin-length brown hair a tangled mess, and milk dribbling down her chin as she shoveled Cocoa Puffs into her mouth. "Hi, Mom," Sara mumbled, almost zombie-like as she kept her brown eyes glued ahead at the frightening image of some cartoon Gwen didn't recognize. "Sara, where is your dad? What about Emily and Jake?" "Kitchen," Sara answered in an almost listless voice. "Bennett!" Gwen gasped as she rounded the corner into the kitchen, discovering its war-zone appearance. "What the he.what on earth is going on here?" she amended her question with one glance in Emily's direction.  
  
Hank grinned, giving her a quick wink. "February is the month of luuuuurrvvve," he said in a deadly serious voice. Gwen rolled her eyes, smirking when she saw the devilish twinkle in his brown eyes. "Yeah?" she prodded him for a better explanation. "A token of my appreciation for you being crazy enough to say 'I do'," he said, taking the oven mitt off of his hand and tossing it onto the kitchen counter so he could grab her wrist and pull her close. Gwen snorted when he started to nuzzle her neck and whisper silly words into her ear in a terrible, fake French accent. "Valentine's starts early this year," Hank said, pulling back to look into her eyes and tuck a loose strand of blond hair behind her ear. "We need something to celebrate, and your staying power is as good as any," he cracked. "The way I figure it.if you can stay married to ME for more than a day, I can cook and clean and be Superman for a week." Gwen's golden brown eyes canvassed the (un)natural disaster area that used to be her kitchen, Emily's pancake syrup covered face, and back to her husband. "God, Bennett.how do I put up with you?" she laughed, kissing him soundly on the lips. "Oh great," Jake grumbled as he breezed through the kitchen, "if I wanted to see all this lovey-dovey crap, I could go to Ali's." "He- Man Woman Hater!" Hank teased his son as Jake backed out of the kitchen door. "Get in the Valentine's spirit, Little Buddy."  
  
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Noah rest a steadying hand at the small of his mother's back as she stepped forward to take Joshua into her arms. Noah's silver eyes studied the child closely. The dark, intelligent eyes drew him in, and for a moment, it was almost like looking into his little sister's eyes. He looked up, away from the nephew he knew too little about, and into the anxious dark eyes of Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald. She was worried, he could tell. More worried about MJ and Joshua and Miguel than she would admit to them, knowing how much unease his mother was already suffering. His mother seemed not to notice, though, focused as she was on the boy in her arms and MJ's solemn face as he delivered his goodbyes, disappointed that he HAD to go to school.  
  
Noah noted the slight slump in MJ's shoulders as Pilar led him outside and back into the cold, crisp February air, and it took Myles's insistent tug on his hand a few minutes later to remind him where he was and who he was with in the Book Café. "Unca Noah," Myles whined. "I gotta go baffoom," the little boy informed him, squirming and crossing his legs together. "Noah.could you." Noah took Joshua from his mom's hands and let him slide down his legs to stand on his own two feet. "Sure, Mom," Noah said, already en route to the restrooms when his mom took him off-guard with an impromptu hug. "Thank you, Noah. I see Luis and Ali. I think I'll go say hi while you're gone." Noah glanced toward the front of the Book Café to see a tiny, fragile-looking little girl in Luis's arms accept a blueberry muffin from Beth with a smile almost too big for her adorable face and nodded his head. "Come on, guys," he said, trusting both boys to follow. He was almost halfway to the bathroom with Myles hot on his heels before he noticed Joshua's absence. Noah stalked back across the room and scooped the little boy up in his arms, causing Joshua to smile, and he felt a funny little tug in his heart that he hadn't felt for a really long time.  
  
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Abby tucked Mr. Homan's chart underneath her arm and ducked into the women's restroom. She waved to a young nurse she recognized and wandered to the far corner of the bathroom. She lay the chart beneath her arm on the counter and reached forward to turn the tap on. The water was cool and invigorating against her skin, but when she blinked open her hazel eyes and stared into the mirror and her reflection beneath the harsh fluorescent bulbs, she swore softly at her appearance. "You look.like.hell," she muttered, shooting a glare to the woman eyeing her warily a couple of sinks down. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not polite to stare? What? Do I have a booger on my face?" The woman's mouth dropped open in an odd hybrid of horror/amusement, and Abby's lips twisted into a wry smile as she watched the woman skitter off. She turned her attention back to the emergency at hand. "God, Abby," she spoke to her tired-looking reflection with the braided tawny pigtails and almost make-up free face. "You don't just look like hell. You look like shit," she sighed, tugging unconsciously at the off-white turtleneck she wore. "So much for him making the next move. He's going to take one look and run for the hills," she groaned softly, whirling on her heels when the door creaked open and suddenly, she wasn't alone anymore. She was face to face with a very concerned Katie.  
  
Abby folded her chart close to her chest. "Look.Katie.I don't want to talk about it." Katie's hand shot out to grab Abby's arm as she passed, and Abby shrugged it off. Katie held up her hands in surrender. "Abby, I'm sorry. I'm just.I'm worried about both of you. Nick." ".is a bastard," Abby cut her off, taking another step toward the door, "and I'm so pissed at the man, I could slap him all over again. So it's a good thing he's not working today, isn't it Katie?" A smile creeped up on Katie's face, and Abby found herself smiling back. Her first genuine smile of the day. "Men can be such dumbasses, can't they?" Katie laughed, walking past Abby and holding the door open for her. Abby laughed with her in agreement, stepping out into the hall. "They don't know what's good for them," Katie trailed off, her eyes shifting ahead of them. Abby's hazel eyes left Katie's face, following her line of vision down the hall and landing on Nick's handsome face. Dammit! Why did the man have to give Jackass a whole new sexy appeal? "No, they don't. They don't know what's good for them at all," she whispered. 


	12. Chapter 56

Chapter 56  
  
"Abby," Katie implored her with her green eyes. "Maybe you should talk to him. He looks like he." "Katie," Abby turned to the young nurse beside her. "Nick looks like a lot of things. Handsome and sexy are the no- brainers. But take away that, and he's just like all the other jerks I've been involved with in the past. He's got this stupid infatuation with a woman who's more in love with her husband today than she was when she first married him, and that's something not many women can say. Trust me on this, Katie. He's fooled himself into thinking he's really, truly in love with her, and he doesn't have room for anyone else. I'm not up for being rejected again today. He can look as sorry as he pleases. Right now, I just don't give a damn." "Abby," Katie sighed. "You know that's not true." She dropped her arm to her side when Abby tucked the charts in her hands against her chest and stalked forward. Her expression of sympathy for Nick quickly morphed into a scowl of disapproval. The man was going to have to get his own act together, Katie thought to herself as she watched him hurry to catch up to Abby.  
  
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Miguel bounced the balls of his feet up and down nervously, raking his hands up and down his denim pants. Simone looked up from the pamphlets on cochlear implant surgery that she was reading with a sigh. Her left hand darted out to grab Miguel's right hand, and she gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You're doing the right thing, Miguel. This surgery.is something wonderful for Joshua. It's what you and Kay always wanted for him. It's what she'd still want for him if she were.Miguel, just take a deep breath and relax." An uneasy smile flickered over Miguel's face then vanished as the guilt rolled in once more. "I shouldn't have put it off like this. It makes me look like a bad parent. I AM a bad father," he groaned softly, removing his hand from Simone's grasp and burying his face in his hands. "It's not that I didn't want him to have the surgery," he explained, his voice still muffled by his hands. "I was just.things are still so."  
  
"Wrong without Kay?" Simone supplied grimly. "I know I was only her friend, but I miss her like crazy, Miguel. I can't even begin to imagine how awful it is for you and the boys." "It's like I'm lost, and no matter how hard I try, no matter who I ask for directions, I can't find my way again. Sometimes I'm afraid I'm going to wander around in this fog forever," Miguel admitted, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he lowered his hands and looked at her. "Miguel," Simone felt her eyes water with the tears that seemed to always be lurking just around the corner when she thought about the situation Miguel and Kay's boys found themselves in. Miguel looked away uncomfortably at Simone's display of emotion, staring straight ahead. His dark, pain-filled eyes lifted to meet hers when he felt the warmth of her palm on his thigh, and he carefully picked up her hand and rest it back in her own lap. "I'm glad you're here with me," he said thickly. "Thank you." Simone smiled through her tears and opened her mouth to speak, but the nurse's voice at the desk interrupted her, telling Miguel the doctor was ready to meet with him. Simone gave him a tiny wave as he disappeared behind closed doors and whispered softly, "You're NOT a bad father."  
  
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Sam walked up behind his wife, wordlessly slipping his arms around her waist and resting his chin atop her auburn head. Grace breathed a tiny sigh and covered his arms with hers, and they both remained quiet, watching the scene in from of them through the kitchen window. Noah and Jessica were outside helping Myles and Joshua build a snowman, and the Grace couldn't tell who was having more fun.her grown children or her grandsons. "He's good with them, isn't he?" Sam's voice interrupted her internal debate, and she smiled and delivered a soft, "He is." Noah was laughing as he helped Joshua pack snow into a globe big enough to use as the snowman's head. Joshua, apparently, had decided the opposite action was more fun, quickly destroying each and every snowball Noah could create. The little boy's dark eyes were sparkling mischievously at his uncle, and Grace felt a lump form in her throat when the sudden wish that Kay could see her brother and her son like this hit her. She didn't have time to dwell on that thought long, though, before she was laughing along with Sam as they watched Myles and Joshua start launching fistfuls of snow at each other, then Jessica and Noah. The snowman was left headless when the twosome decided to surrender and come inside with the boys.  
  
Myles trudged into the kitchen, stomping the snow off his boots along the way, and earning a reprimand from Jessica. Sam grinned at the boy, ruffling his cap of blond hair affectionately, and offering to take him into the living room to warm up in front of the fire and wait for the hot chocolate to be delivered to them. Jessica excused herself to call Reese, and Grace and Noah found themselves alone in the kitchen with Joshua perched on the kitchen counter, watching them with serious dark eyes. Noah snatched Joshua's red hat off his dark head, smiling back when he made the boy smile. Grace observed them quietly as she searched the cupboards for marshmallows to add to Myles's and Joshua's cocoa. "He has her eyes, doesn't he?" Noah said suddenly, and Grace set the cooling mugs of chocolate down, walking up next to the pair. "He does," she smiled bittersweetly upon quick inspection, leaning forward to brush a kiss across Joshua's cool brow. "And MJ has her attitude," Noah smirked, growing more somber with the re-emergence of regret for staying away so long. He squeezed his mother's shoulders reassuringly when her blue eyes betrayed her worry for both of his sister's children. "It's going to be okay, Mom," he told her, hugging her to his side. "Really. It is. We're not going to let them down. **I'm** not going to let them down," he promised.  
  
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"This ain't gonna get me in trouble with Luis, is it?" Chad teased as he helped Sheridan settle into her chair. "What? Kidnapping me and not telling me where you were taking me?" Sheridan grinned as she sipped her ice water with a straw. "Been there, done that," she laughed. "Luis has no room to complain." Chad grinned at her across the table, not able to keep from laughing when he surveyed the assortment of food in front of her. It looked to be a sampling tray of every restaurant in the mall. Some of which just did not go together, he thought, watching Sheridan discard her egg roll in favor of the cup of vanilla ice cream with colored sprinkles. "What?" Sheridan asked, blue eyes twinkling at his incredulous expression. "Thanks to you, Theresa is with my son, enjoying the delicious-smelling enchiladas Pilar cooked us for lunch," she pretended to be mad at him. "You owe the poor pregnant woman this much for dragging her to a mall that's abnormally crowded for this time of year," she teased him, making him laugh again. "So.what's this secretive expedition all about?"  
  
Chad's grin turned a little shy, and Sheridan set the cup of ice cream down, leaning forward with great interest. "Chad," she arched a golden brow at him. "Okay, Auntie," Chad's grin grew even wider. "Geez," Sheridan huffed, crossing her arms over her slightly protruding belly. "You and Ethan make me feel so old. Tell me before my mood swings sour," she warned him semi-seriously. "I'll tell you.on one condition," Chad's voice dropped to a whisper. "Chad," Sheridan whined, blue eyes bright with curiosity. "I know this is going to be hard for you," Chad continued, "but you have to keep what I'm about to tell you to yourself." "Ch." Sheridan rolled her eyes, unable to get the rest of his name out before he interrupted her. "I need a woman's advice." "About?" Sheridan prodded impatiently. "A ring," Chad smirked. "A what? A ring? Chad, why do you.oh. OH! Chad! You're going to." she trailed off, her eyes shining with happiness for him. "I'm going to ask Theresa to marry me, and I figured you could steer me in the right direction with the ring." "Of course, I'll help you," Sheridan smiled brightly, pushing her chair back and pulling herself to her feet. "Whoa," Chad held up a hand. "Now?" "Yes, now," Sheridan shook her head, tapping her tongue against her teeth. "C'mon," she urged. Chad granted her request, chuckling. His tough guy image was virtually ruined. He was putty in the hands of the women in his life.  
  
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"Daddy?" Luis leaned forward and turned the volume down on the radio, glancing at Ali in the passenger seat beside him out of the corner of his eyes. "AliCat?" Ali giggled, her cheeks turning pink and her blue eyes twinkling at him. "What is it? Did you think of anything else you want to do? Anywhere else you want to go?" Ali's tiny fingers played with the heart-shaped locket around her neck, opening and closing it to view the picture of her and Jake as babies. "Ali?" Luis couldn't help it. His voice raised an octave in concern. "Can we go to the church, Daddy?" Luis's shocked brown eyes flew to Ali's face then back to the road ahead of them. "I just wanted to visit somebody," Ali explained softly. Luis turned the car around, heading back into town. Several minutes later, he was helping Ali out of the car and leaning back against the side of the door in astonishment after she'd declined his offer to come with her.  
  
Ali walked slowly into the church, drawn to the flickering candles at the front. Her voice was full of innocence as she recited a prayer for each person she lit a candle for, and her blue eyes were shining but solemn. Father Lonagin emerged from the shadows, his kind voice making Ali smile and accept a seat beside him on the front church pew readily. "Father Lonagin?" "Yes, Child," Father Lonagin's sightless eyes smiled down at Ali, and his hand patted her silky cheek blindly. Ali twisted the thin chain of her necklace around her index finger, chewing on her bottom lip out of nervous habit for a moment before asking questions in rapid-fire succession. "Do little kids go to the same Heaven as grown-ups? What about animals? Are there animals in Heaven? Daddy says angels remember their families, and they don't forget. Do you think Aunt Kay remembers me? And my nana Katherine.how will she know what I look like? Heaven's big. What if I get lost? What if I die, and I never find Mommy or Daddy or Cristian ever again? I will find them, won't I? I'm scared," Ali admittedly tearfully, "because I don't want them to be sad, and I don't want to be sick when my baby sister comes." Father Lonagin placed a comforting hand on Ali's slim shoulder and spoke to her in soft, reassuring whispers, and Luis backed out of the church, his own emotions and shallowly buried fears threatening to overwhelm him.  
  
Chapter 57  
  
Theresa's pen flew over the paper, capturing Cristian's essence, Pilar thought with a pleased smile as she recognized the big dark eyes and the ever-ready smile. She watched her daughter's face, and the joy she felt when she sketched and designed was apparent. It was something Pilar knew she had missed over the past few months. She knew Theresa didn't regret her decision, but she also knew having her dream at her fingertips again would be icing on the cake to the happiness being with Chad and with her family brought her. "Aunt Theresa," Cristian giggled. "Am I finished being your model?" A few finishing strokes of her pen, and Theresa set her sketch pad down on the sofa between them. Pilar picked it up and admired the drawings while Theresa slipped off the edge of the couch and grabbed Cristian into a bear hug, making him squeal with delight. "You and Ali are always my models," Theresa said between kisses to Cristian's laughing face. "Theresita," Pilar spoke softly, "these sketches.they're wonderful. You miss it, don't you? You miss your life in New York."  
  
Theresa ran her fingers through Cristian's soft dark hair affectionately, giving his forehead another quick kiss before standing up and rejoining her mother on the sofa. "A little," Theresa admitted quietly. "But never as much as this," she said, smiling at Cristian and Max, engaged in a comical wrestling match in front of the fireplace. "I don't like being the boss as much as I like doing the work myself, Mama," she told Pilar with sparkling brown eyes. "I know you might find that hard to believe. I still do my sketches. I did some for Ali a few weeks ago. They're in my room if you want to see them." "Mijo.we'll be in Theresita's room," Pilar informed Cristian as she followed her daughter. "Okay," Cristian replied, resuming his play without missing a beat. "Mama," Theresa laughed as they entered her bedroom. "We're just down the hall. He'll be fine." Pilar sat on the edge of Theresa's bed, waiting while Theresa sifted through the contents of her desk drawer for the sketches. A framed photograph of her daughter and Chad rested on the bureau, and they looked so young and happy, a picture Pilar had feared she would never see her daughter in.with anyone.after Ethan. She smiled, and her soft voice and words made Theresa smile in turn. "Chad's a good man. Your father likes him." Good, Theresa thought, fishing her sketches out of the drawer and carrying them across the room to her mother. Because I love him.  
  
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Chad groaned under the weight of Sheridan's shopping bags, smirking at her tickled expression as she snapped the black velvet box shut and tucked it back into her purse. "How come I got stuck carrying all this loot, and all you got was the engagement ring?" "Number one," Sheridan grinned at him as she reached inside his leather jacket pocket to get his car keys. "YOU asked me to hold it.'Auntie'.I do hate it when you and Ethan call me that, Chad. It makes me feel like a hundred years old," she grumbled, sidetracked for a moment. Chad chuckled, thankful when she successfully unlocked the car doors so he could empty his arms of bags and bags of baby supplies. "Admit it," he teased, hurriedly opening the passenger door for her before she had a chance to do it herself. "You secretly love it." Sheridan's lips twitched, and Chad grinned at the twinkle in her blue eyes. "Auntie," she continued as he walked around to the driver's side and climbed in. "Hide this ring for me," she paraphrased their earlier conversation. "Theresa will find it and blow my big Valentine's Day proposal."  
  
Chad shifted the car into reverse and backed out of the parking space. "She has a nose for things like this." "Most women do," Sheridan laughed softly, securing her seat belt across her middle as the car eased forward. "Nobody forced you to carry ALL the shopping bags," she reminded him. "No," he conceded. "I guess I'm just a sucker for pregnant women with big, pleading blue eyes," he cracked. "You better be glad you didn't call something else big, Buddy," Sheridan said, her hand darting out to playfully swat his arm. Chad smirked. "I couldn't let it get back to Luis that I let you carry all that," he tipped his head at the back seat. "He'd have my ass in a sling." Sheridan leaned her blond head back against the headrest, and a happy, peaceful smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she spoke, eyes shut in fatigue, "Luis is very protective of the ones he loves" "Overprotective," Chad corrected her with a slight shake of his head. "But I'm cool with that. He's got some pretty special people in his life, and if somebody ever lay a hand on my girl, you, or those kids, I'd be second in line to kick his ass," Chad promised, closing his fingers around Sheridan's offered hand. "Second?" Sheridan teased, her blue eyes brilliant and sparkling with humor. "Second? You're not going to fight him for first?" "Hey," Chad quirked a brow at her. "It's Luis." Sheridan gave his hand a firm squeeze before withdrawing her hand and resting it against her stomach, shaking with laughter. "You have nothing to worry about, Chad," she smiled, closing her eyes again. "She's definitely going to say yes."  
  
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"Noah.will you get that?" Jessica poked her head out of the kitchen when the front doorbell rang. Noah glanced at his dad ensconced in front of the television with Joshua and Myles tucked on either side, trying to figure out the allure of Blue's Clues. As he'd already informed Noah, making Mom and Jessica weak with laughter in the process, the clues were too simple. He didn't see the challenges two three-year-olds might face. Noah grinned again just thinking about it, and he pulled the front door open with that same grin still on his face. "Uncle Hank. Dad! Uncle Hank's here." "Emmy.move." A tiny purple mittened hand struck out, pushing Uncle Hank aside, and Noah's silver eyes laughed down at Sara's falsely angelic face surrounding by tangled, chin-length brown hair. "Can we come in now?" Sara grumbled. "My toes are going to fall off if I stand out here one gazillionth of a second longer."  
  
"Where are my manners?" Noah said with a straight face, stepping aside and letting the little girl pass. A kinder, gentler version of Sara with longer brown hair trotted past him clutching a barely clothed doll to her chest. "Me and Daisy got the shivers," Emily told him, shivering a second later as if to prove her point. Noah's eyes snapped up to his Hank's face and found his expression to be a healthy mix of amusement and pride as he eyed the two little girls scrambling to give their uncle Sam the first hug. "Where's the rest of the Brady Bunch?" Noah questioned, when Hank remained standing in the doorway. "Little Buddy," Hank tossed over his shoulder. "Get in here and start explaining to your uncle Sam why you and MJ are suspended from school." Noah's eyes widened at Jake's busted lip and MJ's tattered jacket as the two little boys trudged inside reluctantly and Hank followed, leaving Noah to shut the door.  
  
MJ lowered his dark eyes guiltily when Grace and Jessica walked into the living room, gasping in shock. "MJ! Jake! What happened?" "Little Buddy," Hank prodded. "They were being jerks about his mom," Jake explained, shuffling his sneakered feet nervously as he talked, "I tried to get Dylan to shut up, but he wouldn't." Grace's blue eyes welled with concern. "I got MJ, and we started walking away, and then." Jake's pleading brown eyes met Hank's across the room. "Tell them the whole story," Hank said. "Dylan and the other boys were making fun of Ali and saying she was a bald freak, and when Dylan said she was going to die and laughed about it." Jake paused. "Jake hit him. Hard," MJ said with wide brown eyes. "And I hit him too because he WAS a jerk. He was a jerk about my mom, and it made me mad when he said that stuff about Ali." Hank groaned softly when Sara gleefully informed everyone that Dylan had two black eyes, tacking on a "He deserved it," and putting another nail in his coffin. If Sam didn't rip him to complete shreds, Gwen was going to finish the job later tonight when she got home from the office. He braced himself. And waited for a tongue-lashing that didn't come. Nobody was more surprised than he when Sam simply delivered a lecture against using their fists to fight hurtful words and mildly scolded them. He exchanged an incredulous look with Noah, and Noah shrugged his shoulders. "I guess Dad's going soft."  
  
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Ali's little feet dangled in the night air, and her soft, delighted smile as he gently pushed the swing to and fro made Luis's lips stretch into a smile of his own. He leaned in close, his mouth hovering close to Ali's ear, as he pushed her higher, if only to be rewarded with the tinkling sound of her sweet laughter. "Remember when I used to bring you here, AliCat?" Luis mused, his dark eyes scanning the perimeter of the park, lit by the yellow glow of the street lamps. His mind's eye recalling other visits to the same park when he'd push Ali higher and higher on the swingset until she grew breathless with happy laughter, her blond mane flying behind her. "Uh huh," Ali nodded her head vigorously. "It's different though. I don't remember it being so little, Daddy." Luis laughed as he grabbed the swing to slow its movement and pressed his lips to Ali's brow. "That's because you're bigger now," he told her. "I'm growing up," Ali's sweet voice had a tiny catch in it, but then she sported the adorable little grin that had kept Luis going all those lonely years ago. And her bright blue eyes reflected everything he loved dearly about her mother and herself. "And becoming more beautiful every day," he said, earning himself a heartfelt hug.  
  
"We'll have to bring Mommy and Cristian here one day, Daddy," Ali announced sometime later as they enjoyed the beauty of the stars from their perch above the slides. Luis held his arms open, and Ali scooted back into them, wrapping his arms around her little body for warmth. Luis rest his chin atop her head and gave her a gentle squeeze before agreeing. "Cristian would love the monkey bars," he laughed, picturing his young son hanging from the play equipment several feet in front of them, with an odd expression of panic/sheer excitement dominating his face. "The baby could play in the sandbox like I used to," Ali added, not wanting to leave her little sister out of their plans. "Gwen used to complain after Hank and I dropped Jake off after a day at the park with us that she'd find trails of sand all throughout the house." Ali giggled at the memory she didn't remember but could picture so vividly. "Aunt Theresa used to kid me that I brought home 10 pounds sand and 2 pounds Ali," Luis teased. "Daddy!" Ali exclaimed. "All right," Luis conceded, deep brown eyes twinkling. "50 pounds sand and 2 pounds Ali." "I didn't weigh that much," Ali huffed, her pout staying on her pink lips for about two seconds when Luis started tickling her, making her shriek with laughter as they lost their foothold and slipped and slid down the curving slide. Luis's dark eyes were full of love and humor as Ali's smiling face descended and he felt the flutter of her lashes as she lavished butterfly kisses against his cheeks and every part of his face she touched. "I love you, Daddy," she whispered. "Always, always, always." "I love you forever," Luis whispered back as he tucked her head under his chin and held on as the stars winked in the black sky.  
  
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Nick eyed the expensive navy suit jacket draped over Shane's arm curiously as he let him inside the apartment, quiet and lifeless without Abby's larger than life presence. Shane's hazel eyes regarded Nick silently as he closed the door behind him and followed him to the kitchen, one hand loosening the silk pinstriped tie around his neck. Nick withdrew two glasses, and Shane accepted his unvoiced offer of a glass of wine. "She's not here," Nick finally said, and a smile tugged at Shane's lips as he answered, "Thanks, Sherlock. I gathered that already. So.you really know how to bring the house down. Did I miss the big party? You look like hell. No offense," Shane hastily added. Nick rubbed his hands over his tired features miserably, "No offense taken." "I dropped by, hoping to celebrate my new position at Crane Industries," Shane said, "but this looks more like a pity party. What happened?"  
  
Nick drained the remaining contents of his glass and grabbed the bottle of wine, ready to finish it off. "I happened." Shane looked at him dumbly, motioning for Nick to give him a less vague answer, and snatched the wine bottle from him. "Ah," Shane nodded as realization dawned on him. "You met Hurricane Abby." Shane chuckled at the humor that sprang to life in Nick's gray eyes. "Hurricane Abby?" "What'd you do to piss her off? My sister's a nut 24/7, but Hurricane Abby only shows her brutal self on 'special' occasions," Shane grinned. A smile flickered across Nick's lips before he remembered how curt Abby'd been with him earlier when he tried to talk to her. "I think I hurt her," he said softly, meeting Shane's eyes hesitantly. "No details. I can respect that," Shane said fairly. "She won't even talk to me. I don't think I got the message until she threatened to call hospital security and report me for stalking her," Nick laughed humorlessly. "So I came back here, and I've been calling her cell- which she refuses to answer."  
  
"That," Shane rolled his eyes. "She's always needing a new battery." Nick arched a dark brow and shook his head. "She's avoiding me." "She just needs to cool off," Shane told him with a friendly slap on the back. "Let her stew over it was for a couple more hours. She's really soft and mushy on the inside. The longest she's ever held out on me was." he paused, mentally counting off the time that had passed between their last sibling fight and the time they made up, "well, it was actually a couple of years. But that was right after I blasted her for marrying that bastard Vincent.It turned out I was right not to trust the scuzzball. After what he did to her, though.I would have given anything NOT to be able to tell her 'I told you so'," Shane sighed regretfully, finally looking at Nick's shocked expression. "Damn," Shane groaned, realizing he'd spilled way more about his sister's past love life than she'd told the man in front of him. More than she'd probably told any of her friends in Harmony, and why not? The memories were painful to him, and he couldn't begin to know how Abby had felt.. "Just forget I said that," he muttered, knowing by the look on Nick's face that forgetting wasn't a possibility. His little sister was going to have his head.  
  
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"He's called you how many times?" Katie's green eyes were wide and incredulous. "Too many damn times. I'm beginning to detect a little desperation, aren't you?" Abby muttered, her hazel eyes betraying her amusement. "You've had a helluva day," Katie smiled sympathetically, wrapping her arms around Abby's petite frame impulsively. "Yeah," Abby rolled her eyes. "It's not everyday a woman has two men stalking her." "Abby, you need to be really careful. I know George left the hospital on his own." "In a wheelchair he doesn't need," Abby interrupted her. "Crook," she hissed under her breath. "He won't see another therapist so there's no proof of that.I'm not saying I don't believe you," Katie held up a hand to silence Abby's quick retort. "There's just no proof, and he hasn't done anything." Abby sighed at the silent YET in Katie's remarks. "I want you to be careful. It'd make me feel so much better if you'd just call Nick up and have him drive you home. I know you're mad at the man.with GOOD REASON," Katie stressed with a smile. "I'd do it myself, but I have to pick up Kendall at my mother's." "Katie," Abby grabbed Katie's shoulders with a smile. "I'll be fine. Need I remind you of a certain incident involving pepper spray and a nameless drool-worthy doctor?" Katie giggled girlishly in memory, shaking her head at Abby as she backed out of the exit leading to the parking garage. "Call me and let me know if you made it home." "Yes, Mom. Geez," Abby grinned. "You're worse than Shane. See you tomorrow."  
  
Abby tried to laugh Katie's concerns away as her footsteps echoed in the stairwell. She paused at the door exiting into the parking garage to fish her cell phone out of her purse, swearing under her breath when it appeared her battery had run low yet again. Well, she reasoned.if she called Nick, he might take it as a sign of forgiveness for continually holding her at arm's length whenever she threatened to get too close to him. She didn't think he deserved to be forgiven so easily or so quickly. She slid her cell back into her purse and fumbled around for her pepper spray, not letting the realization that she'd left it in her other purse deter her from opening the door and stepping into the dimly lit garage in any way. She settled for gripping her car keys tightly, poised to use them as a weapon, as she resolved not to let her fears get the best of her and strode toward her car. She was not even two feet away when a nondescript car crawled past, blinding her with its too-bright headlights. Her keys fell from her hand and clattered on the concrete floor beneath her feet when she tried to shield her eyes, and she blinked, crouching down to retrieve them. She stood up slowly, the tiny hairs at the back of her neck standing on end at the sudden sensation that told her she was being watched. She barely had time to register George's menacing reflection in the driver's side window of her car before his heavy body slammed her against the car's side, wrenching the hand holding the keys painfully behind her back. Tears of pain stung Abby's eyes as George turned her around roughly and leered down at her with his muddy brown eyes, and the hatred in his voice made her blood run cold. "You're going to pay, Bitch."  
  
Chapter 58  
  
"Bennett," Gwen sighed, raking a tired hand through her blond hair. "I'm not saying he shouldn't have stood up for Ali. You know that." Hank shrank a little beneath the heat of his wife's pointed glare. "I just wish he'd left his fists out of it." "Babe, you know that Dylan kid is bad news," Hank pleaded his son's case, following Gwen into their bedroom and shutting and locking the door before Gus could dart inside behind him. He ignored the dog's plaintive whines and annoying scratching at the door, pulling his sweater over his rumpled brown head as he walked across the room and leaned against the bathroom doorjamb to watch her pull the silver handled hairbrush through her hair roughly.  
  
"Jake's suspended, Hank. The little jerk-in-training said some awful things, but I still don't like that Jake hit him. Especially with MJ there. Think of the example Jake's setting for MJ. The poor kid's going through hell right now, and he needs some direction. Not what happened today. You heard what MJ's teacher told Grace.It could have been worse than a split lip and torn jacket, Hank," she broke off. "Both of them could have been hurt."  
  
"I know, Babe," Hank said soberly, moving to stand behind her and reaching past her for the tube of toothpaste by the sink. "But they weren't, and it's over. More than the way our Little Buddy handled himself, I'm proud of him for sticking up for his little Lady Love," Hank told her with a small smile as he pushed toothpaste from the middle of the tube. The small smile turned into a full-fledged grin when the cursory lecture for not squeezing from the end of the tube assailed his ears. Her mini-tirade was underscored with genuine affection so he didn't feel too bad.  
  
"The kid's a sucker for pretty blondes, Babe. I'd even go so far to say he has Luis beat," Hank smirked, putting his toothbrush back in its place and pressing a quick kiss to her neck before she could escape. "I'm still not sure who's going to cry loudest at the wedding," Hank mused. "Sheridan, Theresa, or you," he teased, wincing as her elbow connected solidly with his ribs. "I don't know about that, Bennett," she arched a golden brow at him in the reflection of the bathroom mirror. "I'm putting money on YOU. Although.you and Theresa might be neck and neck. It's a toss-up," she told him with a laugh. Hank chuckled at her off-hand mention of Theresa's past waterworks. "I think Luis is going to be the dark horse contender and outcry us all," Hank grinned goofily. "He and Ali definitely have something special," Gwen agreed with a bittersweet smile.  
  
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Sheridan stooped to cover Cristian with his blankets, kicked away in his sleep filled with little boy dreams of adventure. Max's big brown eyes watched her, and his tail thumped gently at her as he lay his head down on his paws and curled back up against Cristian's side. Sheridan smiled against Cristian's cheek as she kissed it and scratched between Max's ears at the same time. The dog may have been a bribe from Abby, but there was no discounting the fact that the saying 'man's best friend' was most definitely true where Max was concerned. Or more aptly."boy's best friend." Her son and the golden retriever were, quite simply these days, inseparable.  
  
She switched the night light on before she pulled the door closed, drifting toward the sound of Luis's voice in Ali's bedroom as he regaled their sleepy daughter with real-life fairy tales. She bit back a laugh as she heard him tell Ali the story of their first meeting for what had to be the millionth time. Ali smiled brightly at her when she entered the room and sat opposite Luis on the edge of the mattress. "At least you're a better driver now, Mommy," Ali said consolingly. Sheridan laughed in surprise, meeting Luis's laughing dark eyes and shaking her head as she said, "Daddy doesn't seem to think so." Ali giggled, snuggling her bunny closer. "That's why Daddy always drives," she said as realization coursed through her. "But Mommy," Ali's voice lowered to a whisper, and Sheridan leaned in close so she could hear, "Daddy's worse now." "Really?" Sheridan said, smiling at Luis out of the corner of her eyes. "Yeah," Ali revealed. "He's always staring at you," she finished with a giggle. "It's true," Luis conceded with a wry grin. "You're going to be the death of me yet."  
  
They left their daughter with a smile on her lips and a pink bunny cuddled close to her heart. Lighthearted laughter marked the way from Ali's bedroom to their very own bathroom, and Sheridan knew her happiness and the flickering yellow glow of candlelight reflected back at Luis when he looked deeply into her eyes. "Luis, you didn't have to do this.I already know how much you adore me," she teased, her tone confident but the look in her blue eyes still a little doubtful even after so long. It'd taken her most of her life to find his love, and there were still brief moments of insecurity when she wasn't sure if she deserved it or him and her disbelief of her reality would loom insistently like a miniature black storm cloud above her head. "My day with Ali was something I'll never forget," he said softly as his hand swept over the curve where her shoulder met her neck then traveled upward to cup her jaw in his palm. "But I missed having you by my side where you belong."  
  
Sheridan knew her eyes sparkled with tears, but she wouldn't feel guilty because they were happy tears, a blessing in a time where everything but their love for each other and their family was an uncertainty. "Luis, sometimes you are the sweetest man." "Not all the time?" Luis grinned as his hands drifted to the tiny buttons running down the front of the deep blue shirt she wore. "You still have your control freak moments now and then," she said, her laugh dying in her throat as he undid the last button and pushed the shirt off of her shoulders. Her hands slipped beneath the heavy material of his charcoal sweater, and he raised his arms to help her sweep it over his head.  
  
"But you love me anyway," he surmised smugly. "I love you anyway," she smiled down at him, holding on to his shoulders as he knelt at her feet and eased her black pants over her hips. "Luis.I CAN undress myself, you know," she smirked, stepping out of the pants and laughing out loud when his pants joined hers and their shirts in the pile near the tub in record speed. "I know," he breathed, dipping his head to kiss the swell of her breasts over the satin and lace of her bra. "Tell the truth. You enjoy this just as much as I do," he challenged her to dispute his words, undoing the clasp of her bra and slipping the straps down her arms. "My husband isn't an egomaniac either," Sheridan quipped, stripping her last article of clothing off and slipping into the warm tub of bubbles with a relaxed sigh. Luis just grinned at her, unable to think of a stellar response quickly since his brain had apparently decided to take the rest of the night off. "Luis." "Yeah?" he wiggled his brows at her playfully. "Get naked and wash my back." His hand snapped up in a mock salute and his boxers fell on top of their heap of abandoned clothes, and Sheridan couldn't restrain herself from rolling her eyes at the silliness of his "Yes, Ma'am."  
  
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It hurt to breathe. Every breath she took was an effort, forced between clenched teeth that still rattled with the aftershocks of having her head slammed into her car window before she got a good, swift, and-she hoped to God-excruciatingly painful knee to George's not-so-manly parts. She knew with certainty that she'd broken the lecherous swine's nose. His blood splashed all over her shirt was exhibit A one on that count. She didn't know whether to burn the evidence in a bonfire or trash it. Her torn black pants with their mangled zipper were beyond repair. But she'd wager George was in much worse shape. Well.maybe he didn't LOOK worse, Abby amended, raising a hand to finger the bruise she felt forming around her eye gingerly.  
  
There was only one of them lying in a crumpled heap on the cold concrete of the parking deck, and it sure as hell wasn't her. Although.with the whole issue of seeing double, er.make that triple.and the whole staggering through the emergency room doors routine and scaring the living daylights out of the attending intern.judging by his reaction she might as well have been the roadkill scraped off of her snow tires. She wanted to laugh at the horror-stricken look on Eve's face when she came rushing toward her from Simone's side. "Oh my God! Abby, what happened? Who did this to you? Abby? Abby." Abby held her aching head between her hands and groaned softly as she ducked down sucking in deep breaths to try to keep the dizziness at bay, the panic in Eve's voice and words barely registering with her as she felt consciousness start to ebb and flow. "Simone, call Abby's brother at the B & B." "Dammit, Eve. Not Shane," Abby cried, shrugging off the helping hand of the nurse that hovered at her side. "Nick, Abby? Do you want." "Call Shane," Abby changed her mind with a shake of her tawny head. "It's only been 24 hours since the last lecture he gave me. Get that damned light out of my eyes," Abby muttered, swatting Eve's penlight away. "I could kick George's fat ass again for putting me through this crap. Damn him. Damn me for being so stupid. Eve, could you send security to find George and make sure I didn't kill him? He's jailbait. The road trip to Hell can pick up as soon as I'm finished with him."  
  
Chapter 59  
  
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Eve quizzed. Abby squinted, hoping the damn blurring would stop so she could give a good answer. The right answer, and Eve would get off her back. She loved attention as much or more than the next person, but not this kind of attention. What the hell, she thought. At least she was sure Eve was holding up only one hand. That meant she had a twenty-percent chance of guessing the right answer. "Two?" she muttered, mentally crossing her fingers. "Abby," Eve sighed. "I'm only holding up one finger. You're feeling dizzy, your vision is blurred, there's slight nausea, and you passed out on us out there," Eve nodded down the hall, "I'm fairly positive you have a concussion. You need to be monitored to make sure it's not severe." "Excellent listing of my symptoms, Dr. Russell," Abby's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You do realize that was a trick question, don't you? You said fingers plural. Not FINGER. You WANTED me to fail."  
  
Eve ducked her head to hide her smile, gently examining Abby's right side. Already deep purple bruises marred the tanned skin over Abby's ribcage, and Abby's quick inhalations of air told Eve the area was tender to the touch. "I'm going to order an X-ray to make sure you don't have any broken ribs." Abby followed the tiny penlight beam with her eyes per Eve's request, grateful for the ice pack Eve handed her when the inspection was over. She could tell without looking into a mirror that her left eye was quickly swelling to an unattractive state. "Know where I can score some new duds, Eve? I have nothing against being half-naked in front of attractive doctors," she quipped, the corners of her mouth turning up, as she glanced down at her plain ivory bra. It was the whole dirty underwear nightmare.sort of. "But I prefer them to be 100% male." Eve laughed, dropping a hospital gown into her lap. "Your sweater couldn't be salvaged. Sorry," she apologized, holding out her hand for Abby's likewise ruined black pants. "And these aren't in much better shape. Abby." Eve trailed off, raising concerned dark eyes to Abby's battered face when she saw the torn zipper, "did George.?" "He didn't," Abby answered her softly, giving her a quick reassuring smile, as much to reassure Eve as to reassure herself. "Has Harmony P.D. picked up the pig yet?" "Luis is waiting for the doctors to finish with him first," Eve's eyes sparkled almost proudly with the reveal. Abby groaned, "Luis!? He's the Chief. He doesn't handle." "You're his friend. Don't thank me. Thank Beth," Eve said, "And stay put for that X-ray." "Beth," Abby grumbled. How the.  
  
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Simone shot out of the waiting room chair as soon as she saw Eve walking toward them. "Mom.is she okay?" "Eve?" Beth questioned worriedly, cradling her bandaged hand to her chest. "She looked pretty bad when she came in," Ethan spoke, standing protectively close to Beth, Eve noticed with a slight smile. "She's fine. She's got some nasty bruises and a concussion, but she's going to come out of this just fine. George, on the other hand." "Got his ass kicked by my runt of a sister," a voice said behind them. "I think Nick just re-broke his nose for him too," Shane said, trying to tamp down his pleased grin. "I'll get the charges dropped if he needs a lawyer," Ethan said, giving Shane's hand a quick shake. "If you're not able to start work tomorrow, we can work something else out. You won't lose your position." Eve and Simone looked to each other in surprise. It wasn't like Ethan had been an ogre before, but he seemed.softer now. Much more accommodating.  
  
"I don't think that's going to be necessary," Shane waved Ethan's offer off. "George isn't going to be pressing any, but Nick and the Police Chief ARE having a little talk. I'm assuming it's just for appearance's sake. And there is no way in Hell Abby is going to let ME coddle her," Shane grinned, his hazel eyes twinkling humorously. "Luis arrested his mother," Beth hissed in Ethan's ear, "I can't believe he's going to let Nick go. Just like that." Ethan chuckled quietly, "I think Aunt Sheridan has had a bigger influence on him than he's ever going to admit." Shane gently pulled Eve aside, and Simone smiled at the genuine concern written plainly across his face as they discussed Abby's condition. She nodded toward the exit doors when her mother met her eyes across the waiting room, and as soon as Eve and Shane disappeared down the hall to Abby's exam room, Simone pushed the double doors open. She stood just outside the exit, lit by the glow of the white lights inside as she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and punched in what was becoming an increasingly familiar number. "Hello.Miguel? I hope it's not too late. I just called to find out how everyone reacted to the news."  
  
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MJ froze at the sound of his dad's voice, ceasing his pencil's movements and tucking the sheet of blue construction paper underneath his pillow. He turned his small yellow flashlight off and hid it beneath his bed, flopping onto his stomach and pretending to snore softly as his dad paused outside his and Joshua's door to look inside. MJ struggled to keep his breathing even as his dad pushed the bedroom door further open and stepped inside, crossing the room to Joshua's bedside. His ears strained to listen to his dad's side of the phone conversation while he sneaked peeks of him brushing his little brother's hair back from his face. "Mama and Papa were happy.Mrs. Bennett cried. Then she hugged me and thanked me for making Kay's dream come true.MJ wants to be there for the whole thing. He doesn't need to miss anymore school, especially since he was suspended.some kids said hurtful things about.Ali, too.Jake's suspended too. Sam's going to have them help him with a project this week.Calling Mr. Bennett Sam is different.calling her Grace is.it's strange, Simone. She's always been Mrs. Bennett to me.Abby.is she okay?.Good.Yeah.thanks Simone.Bye."  
  
MJ lay completely still for several minutes that felt like excruciating hours. His entire body jerked in surprise when his dad spoke suddenly, and he rolled over onto his back with a sheepish expression on his face. "You knew the whole time?" "I knew the whole time," his dad admitted, trying not to crack a smile. "I saw your light under the door. Reading those comic books Jake gave you again?" "Those are for babies. They're stupid. That's why Jake gave them away," MJ grumbled. "I don't want to read them." "Okay," his dad said, standing up from Joshua's bed and walking over to his bed instead. MJ sat up and scooted over to give him some room when he sat on the twin mattress's edge. "What were you doing then?" MJ chewed on his bottom lip in thought. Should he tell him? Maybe he should. His dad could help him with all his spelling mistakes. MJ kept his eyes on his dad's face as his hand fished under his pillow, withdrawing the blue paper. "This," he said, presenting the paper to his dad. "MJ, what is this?" his dad questioned, looking at him so close, MJ had to look away. "A letter to Mom," he mumbled. "I feel silly talking to her so I wrote her a letter. I told her all about Joshua's surgery, and how happy Grandma Grace was about it. I told her all about Aunt Jessica and Uncle Noah. And I asked her to see if God'll make Ali better soon. Then I told her about the fight, and how much we miss her," MJ said, his voice dropping to soft whisper, "Would you check my spelling, Dad? I want to make sure I get everything right so she'll be proud of me." Miguel nodded, finding it difficult to speak over the lump in his throat, but he finally did. "I will, and me, you, and Joshua will take it to her tomorrow. But first you have to get some sleep. Okay?" "Okay," MJ yawned, stretching back out under the covers and looking up to him solemnly. "Dad?" "Yeah?" Miguel asked absently as he pulled MJ's comforter up over his body. "I wouldn't want any other Dad but you." Miguel grinned down at him. "Thanks. That's good to know."  
  
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Nick's jaw clenched as he watched Luis and another cop push George out the emergency room exit. His hands fisted at his sides as George ducked down low to get into the back of the police cruiser. "Bastard," he hissed lowly, jumping in surprise when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder and Shane's voice a second later. "She's okay. And the police are going to take care of him." Nick's gray eyes searched Shane's face and eyes for the truth of his claim, and his hands relaxed at his sides. He raked one hand through his dark hair with a tired sigh. "She's okay.you're sure?" Shane laughed, "She's okay enough to bitch at me and be pissed at the way she's looking right now. My sister's going to fine, but I'm a little worried about you." "Me?" Nick's gray eyes clouded with confusion. "Yeah, you," Shane smiled apologetically at him. "Runt doesn't realize it yet, but you're the one taking her home after she 'politely' refused my offer. She shouldn't leave her car here anyway, and since we rode over together.it makes more sense." "And you're worried about me? Why?" Nick repeated. "There just might be some residual anger, that's all. Just be careful." "That sounds real encouraging," Nick muttered as Shane left his side. He paused outside the exam room Abby was in, hesitant to come face to face with her and witness for himself the damage George had wrought.  
  
The door opened, and Nick quickly stepped back, barely avoiding a collision with Eve. Eve responded to his unasked question, looking up from her perusal of Abby's medical charts to speak. "The X-rays didn't show any fractures. Abby's ribs are bruised from the violent contact with the car though and she has a black eye. The bruises will fade in time. What I'm worried about is the blow to the head she suffered. Her symptoms seem to indicate she has a moderate concussion, but she needs you or her brother to monitor her through the night and make sure it's not more serious than originally thought." "I'll do it," Nick answered with slight impatience. "Anything else, Dr. Russell?" Eve shook her head with a smile. "Just take her home. She should be ready now if you want to go in," she told him, giving him a friendly pat on the arm. "Thank you," Nick murmured, waiting until Eve met Simone further down the hall, and the pair disappeared from sight before he laid a hand on the door and pushed it open with a deep breath.  
  
Abby's back was turned to him, allowing him a stolen moment to study her without her knowledge. She was dressed in a pair of green scrubs a hundred sizes too large that dwarfed her petite frame. Her tawny braids only added to the impression of youth, and his hand itched to sweep the stray strands behind her ear. "You're driving me home and leaving me at my apartment door. Well.I might let you see me in, but that's it, Buddy. You're leaving and going back to the B & B. I don't want any harrassing phone calls or anything like that. I can take care of." Nick's smile at her trademark babbling vanished around the same time Abby lost her voice.the moment she turned around and they were face to face. ".myself," she continued in a whisper. "Where's Shane?" Abby asked, swallowing awkwardly when she found Nick's solid body looming in front of her. Her eyelids fluttered shut at the whispering touch of his fingertips on her face, gently outlining the ugly purple bruise. "I'm taking you home, and I'm not leaving you at the door. God, Abby." "It's not like I was Miss Universe before," Abby muttered, finding it difficult to breathe with his extremely close proximity. Nick's gray eyes roamed her face, returning to her lively hazel eyes again and again. He'd never said anything to her before.hell, he'd been stupid enough not to even notice.but he hardly agreed with her assessment of her own looks. The more he got to know her, the more attractive he found her. In fact, he found her to be a very pretty woman. Of course, he wisely said nothing of the sort in that moment of revelation, knowing she would never believe him. "That rat! He knew I was.still am.pissed at you." Nick digested her words as he shrugged his heavy wool coat off his back and wrapped it around her slim shoulders. "But you're coming with me anyway," he told her, leaving no room for arguments. Abby huffed, refusing to follow him but leading the way herself.  
  
Revisiting the scene of the 'crime' was a little uncomfortable for her, but Abby squared her shoulders and faced the situation with her usual aplomb. It helped that she had Nick by her side though. To take comfort from, to analyze, and to lighten the heavy mood. A laugh nearly forced its way through her lips when he got into the driver's seat across from her, and his long legs folded up like an accordion. But then she remembered not to let go of her anger with the infuriating man too soon, no matter how confusingly caring and considerate he was being. The car ride home passed in complete silence, so silent Abby must have dozed off because the next thing she knew.she was out of the car, in an elevator, and comfortably ensconced in Nick's strong arms. She was mad at him but not stupid so she pretended to be asleep until Nick shouldered their apartment door open. "My legs are working just fine," she protested half-heartedly as he carried her through the apartment to her open bedroom. She groaned when she saw the mess she'd left on her bed earlier in the day. "Where's a magic wand when I need one? Dammit.and I wanted a nice, long shower too." "Take one," Nick told her, setting her down on her feet and smoothing a hand over her tawny hair. Abby winced, and Nick started to pull his hand away in horror. She stopped him, pulling the band in one braided pigtail away slowly. "Just a little sore. Did you know pigtails are excellent for pulling and yanking a person around? I think it was the only way George could keep up with me.Nick? What.what are you doing?" Abby stammered when Nick's fingers gently unraveled her braids and shook her hair free. Her hazel eyes nearly popped out of her head Roger Rabbit style when she felt his warm lips against her forehead and his hands cradling her skull. What freakin' gives?! She'd stepped into the damned Twilight Zone without realizing it until now apparently. "Go take your shower." "Ooookay," Abby whispered, pausing to grab the comfiest, cleanest pair of pajamas available to her from the oversized chair beside her bed.  
  
She felt like Barney's human counterpoint with all the purple George had left as souvenirs on her body. Pity, she decided, tearing her hazel eyes away from her frightening reflection. Pity was Nick's reason for being so nice to her, and if she'd let it, that thought could fuel her anger at him to a white-hot fury, but she was tired as hell. And her head was pounding dully. She let the towel slide down her body and pool on the tile floor as she finished brushing her teeth. The flannel pajama pants with the glow-in- the-dark lips almost made her cringe, but she reminded herself that it was ridiculous to even think that she was trying to send Gray Eyes a subliminal message. She wasn't, was she? What happened to the groveling, the little voice inside her literally (after tonight) scrambled head demanded to know. "I'm STILL pissed at Gray Eyes," Abby tried to convince herself as she slipped the white tank over her damp tawny head. The bold red "KISS ME" glittering across her chest somehow told another story. Abby dropped to the closed toilet seat with an exhausted sigh. She just couldn't stay mad at him when he was being so damned sweet. No way. No how. She just wished the man'd make up his mind before she started screaming from frustration (of ALL sorts) and never quit.  
  
Chapter 60  
  
"I've had a black eye before," Ali told Abby seriously, leaning forward and propping her elbow on her knee. "I remember," Abby said, smiling down at her and Cristian, both sitting with their legs crossed Indian style on her rug. Cartoon figures flickered unnoticed on the television set behind them, and a wily little black kitten that answered to the name of Lucky stretched out across her coffee table at their backs as if he owned it. "But yours was cool. You could count all the laces of Jake's ball." "I heard Daddy telling Mommy you made that awful man sing like a woman," Cristian revealed. "How'd you do it, Abby?" Abby smirked, waving Cristian closer so that she could whisper into his ear. Cristian's jaw fell open, and his already big brown eyes were huge when Sheridan walked out of the bathroom and rejoined them.  
  
"Abby," Sheridan groaned, rolling her blue eyes at her friend as she collapsed onto the sofa beside her. Abby tucked her legs beneath her body carefully and rolled her hazel eyes right back at Sheridan. "Don't worry, Mrs. Cleaver. It was a strictly G-rated explanation." "Mrs. Cleaver, Abby?" Sheridan frowned. "The only thing that would make it worse is." Abby grinned, and Sheridan arched a golden brow at her in warning. "Don't you even." Abby laughed, zipping her gray sweat jacket up and wrapping her arms around herself as they turned their attention back to the children, giggling as they played hide and seek with Lucky. 'That damned cat is a stalking psycho," Abby muttered, glancing at Sheridan beside her. "Very sweet Valentine's present, Sheridan. Thanks." "You're welcome," Sheridan quipped, laughing at Abby's scrunched up nose. "Still have that unique sense of humor, don't you?" "Yep," Abby sighed, "a twisted sense of humor comes in really handy when you look like I did.still do."  
  
Sheridan ran her hands over her belly gently, falling silent for several minutes. Abby cocked her tawny head to one side and studied her at the other end of the sofa, "Thinking deep thoughts, huh? Or maybe you're just thinking about the wonderful plans that gorgeous hubby of yours is cooking up for the big day." "Deep thoughts," Sheridan agreed with a smile, reaching across the small distance between them and picking up Abby's right hand to give it a firm squeeze. "Listen, Abby.I'm sorry it took me so long to come. I.I." "I get it," Abby's smile made some of Sheridan's guilt dissipate. "You didn't want to scare the kids. These," she indicated the fading bruise on her eye then slowly lifted both her jacket and the tank underneath up to reveal likewise fading bruises along her ribcage, "are still ugly as hell, not to mention a little sore. I don't blame you. You're here now. That's what counts. I haven't exactly been alone." "No, you haven't," Sheridan said softly. "Nick's been taking care of you. He really cares about you, Abby." "Does he?" Abby wondered, her thoughts drifting back to that night when she'd returned to her bedroom to find him sitting in the shadows and refusing to leave.  
  
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Abby paused outside her bedroom door, her hazel eyes landing on his shadowy form, slouching in the otherwise empty oversized chair. Her bedside lamp was on, its pale yellow beam bright to her sensitive eyes, and she blinked as she stepped into her newly neat room, wondering how the hell it had taken him 20, 30 minutes tops to clean up a mess that usually took her the entire day. So she was your ultimate slob. So what? "Nick," she began, pausing to soften her words when she saw he had already turned down the bed for her and everything, her earlier anger all but gone. "I may look beaten," she said, toeing her fuzzy house slippers off at the foot of the bed. "And I may look like I've had the worst day of my life-which is actually not far from the truth," she mused aloud as she edged closer to the chair and to him. "But I don't need you babying me like this. I don't WANT you babying me like this," she muttered tiredly, stepping into the open vee of his long legs and covering the large hand that rested on one muscular thigh with her own. "You've already done more than you had to, and I'm grateful. But."  
  
Abby's words died in her throat when Nick's hand shifted beneath her own, and her eyes never left his face, his troubled gray eyes as she felt his hand rest on her hip, his thumb moving in gentle, absent strokes as he studied her face. "He hurt you," Nick stated quietly, leaning forward and resting his other hand on her opposite hip. "A little," Abby admitted just as quietly, growing increasingly distracted by his touch and the intensity in his eyes. "He's one sorry son of a.he won't lay another hand on me because he knows I'll open up another can of whoop-ass on his FAT ass," she told Nick, her hazel eyes twinkling down at him. The smile in her eyes never reached her lips. Gray Eyes just wasn't feeling her humor tonight, she decided, mentally cursing her traitorous hands when they rose to tangle in his thick dark hair of their own accord. She sucked in a surprised breath when she felt Nick's warm breath against her bare skin, and she couldn't identify the emotion in his eyes to save her life as they stared deeply into her eyes, his lips floating over her injury in the lightest of kisses before his arms slipped around her waist and his warm cheek was suddenly against her belly, his soft hair tickling her skin. Her own arms and hands took on a mind of their own, cradling him closer to her.  
  
Gradually, Nick's grip on her relaxed, and Abby was unresisting as he pulled her into his lap, his arms slipping around her waist once more as his dark head pillowed against her breasts. Abby bit the inside of her cheek to keep from spilling all to Gray Eyes about the dreadfully naughty thoughts running through her mind despite her fatigue and aching body as she combed her fingers through his thick dark hair. She tended to babble like a brook when she got tired, and she prayed to whatever higher being that hadn't plugged His or Her ears against her oftentimes insane rantings that she didn't let anything slip and change this.moment.or whatever they seemed to be having. Hell. She prayed she still had the capacity to catch her breath as Nick pulled back, raising a steady hand and slipping the thin spaghetti strap of her tank off her shoulder. She watched him press his lips against her shoulder in a kiss through half-lidded hazel eyes, and her breath stalled in her throat as his beautiful face loomed closer. She released her breath in a sigh, her eyes fluttering closed when Nick drew her upper lip between his lips and suckled gently, cradling her face between his palms as his mouth moved against hers with utter tenderness and deliberation. Abby searched his gray eyes wonderingly when they drew apart, her heart lodged strangely and firmly in her throat as his strong yet gentle hands guided her tawny head to his shoulder, shaky sighs escaping both their throats. She officially didn't have a clue.  
  
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"Entertaining some deep thoughts of your own?" Sheridan teased, waving a hand in front of Abby's blank face. Abby shook the memory from her mind, nearly jumping in surprise when the apartment door was flung open, and Nick walked inside in his distractingly tight jeans, making her heart beat triple-time inside her ribcage as usual and her brain melt into mush. "Sheridan," Nick nodded, "AliCat and Cristian," he greeted. "I hope you're up for more visitors, Abby, because I found these two outside on our doorstep." Abby grinned, uncurling her legs and leaving the sofa to meet her new guests halfway. "I finally get to meet the boy with MERMAN dreams," Abby winked, tweaking the nose of the sandy-haired toddler in Katie's arms. "Kendall," Katie sighed as the little boy burrowed his face into her neck, "don't be so shy." "Katie, he's adorable. How old is he?" Sheridan inquired, walking up next to Abby. "He just turned two," Katie answered, smiling down at Ali and Cristian in greeting. Ali giggled when green eyes peeked at her curiously, earning herself a cute little half- smile in the process. "He's heard lots of stories about you, Ali," Katie explained. "I think he recognizes you. Do you want to go play with Ali and Cristian, Kendall?" Abby flashed the toddler a smile as he trustingly took Ali's hand, her attention straying from Sheridan and Katie's conversation as her hazel eyes landed on Nick across the room, watching them in intent silence that made her stomach knot with tension. She knew one thing for damn sure. He couldn't keep staring at her the way he was and not expect her to do something about it. The man better count his lucky stars she wasn't 100%.  
  
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Chad hopped up and down on the balls of his feet to keep his blood rushing through his veins as he waited for Ethan. His chocolate eyes scanned the area for the thousandth time that morning, and he liked what he saw. The building was located in downtown Harmony, an abandoned focal point of attention. Small businesses were rising up to the left and right of the impressive building, but the area still held a quaint yet trendy charm. He wasn't having any trouble at all picturing the building bustling with activity. In fact, he.His thoughts ended abruptly as Ethan's Mercedes slowed to a stop just feet in front of him, and Ethan stepped out of the car with an apologetic smile on his face, a set of keys jingling from the key ring in his hand. "Chad.Sorry I'm so late. I." "Look, Man," Chad interrupted his apology. "It's alright. I've just been freezing my ass off out here, but that's all." Ethan's smile morphed into a grin, and his blue eyes sparkled with humor as he finally fitted the correct key in the lock and the heavy door opened. "Is that all? Do you want a tour? I'm not that familiar with this particular Crane property, but I should be able to." Chad's eyes roamed the large open space that was the building's first floor, seeing in his mind's eye, Theresa making the place her own with her children's designs and her reawakening big dreams. "Yo, Ethan.I trust you, Man. As long as the place's structurally sound and equipped with all the utilities.I'll take it. The building AND the property," Chad announced.  
  
Ethan blinked in momentary surprise then smiled, still a little unbelieving that Chad was finally going to take advantage of his Crane name. "It's yours, Chad. This building has been owned by the family for years. Grandfather purchased it years ago, long before he died. If you want the building, it's yours. No cost." Chad shook his head in refusal. "Thanks, but no thanks, Ethan. I'm paying for this place outright. I lived almost my entire life without relying on the Crane name to get what I needed and wanted. I'm not going to start now. I'm not buying this building for me anyway." Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose, leveling his blue gaze on the man beside him. "Chad, you don't have to." "I want to," Chad repeated. "You'll still be using the Crane money to make this purchase. How is that any different?" "There's a difference," Chad told him, withdrawing his checkbook from his leather jacket pocket, his pen poised to start writing. "A small but significant difference." Ethan stilled Chad's movements with his hand. "I'll have the papers drawn up as soon as possible." Chad grinned appreciatively. "Can you do it immediately? I'm kind of on a deadline here. Valentine's Day, to be exact." "I'll get on it today," Ethan held out his hand for Chad to shake it, and the two men fell into step together as they exited and re-locked the building.  
  
"Why Valentine's Day?" Ethan inquired, pausing beside his opened Mercedes door. Chad stuffed his un-gloved hands into the lined pockets of his jacket, meeting Ethan's eyes with the tiniest bit of hesitation. "Chad? If I'm not prying," Ethan prompted. Chad cleared his throat. As his brother, as his friend, and as a man who once loved Theresa, Chad figured Ethan deserved to know just as much as anyone. Perhaps more than most. "It's an engagement present. I'm going to ask Theresa to marry me." "Oh," Ethan said quietly. "I mean.Congratulations are in order. Of course, she'll say yes. You make her happier than I ever did," Ethan said awkwardly. "We make each other happy," Chad corrected him. "Ethan, Man.you hurt her in the past, and that doesn't make me happy. But if things hadn't worked out the way they did, I wouldn't have noticed what was right under my nose the whole time. Theresa and I.we're really not that different. Neither one of us is perfect, but it don' t matter. I've finally found someone I can be comfortable in my own skin with, you know? She loves me for me, and I don't mind her dreams. I admire them. This building? It's how I'm going to bring her dreams back to Harmony. You see? She gave New York and Boston up to come home for Ali, but she's not satisfied just giving out orders. My girl doesn't want to hand off her dream to someone else. I'm giving Theresa her dreams back because I know they're what she needs to be completely happy. That's why I need the deal done by Valentine's," Chad finished, waiting for him to say something, Ethan realized. "Don't worry about the deal," Ethan told him. "I'll take care of it. Just make sure you keep making her happy," Ethan said, finally reaching an understanding as he watched Chad climb into his car and drive away with one last look of gratitude. Love was never the problem. Not knowing her inside and out was. 


	13. Chapter 61

Chapter 61  
  
"Do you and Papa have any special plans for Valentine's Day?" Theresa questioned her mother with sparkling dark eyes as she shrugged her winter coat off her shoulders and draped it across the back of her chair. "Your papa and I promised Luis we'd watch Cristian and Ali," Pilar smiled, pulling her arms out of her own jacket and glancing around the Book Café out of habit. It was fairly busy but she didn't see any particularly familiar faces. Except for Beth. "Can I get you anything?" Beth asked, giving them both a pleasant smile as she waited for an answer, pen poised over the notepad in her palm. "I'm in the mood for some hot chocolate," Theresa answered her quickly, "What about you, Mama?" "Hot chocolate will be fine. Thank you, Beth," Pilar offered gratefully. "No problem. Two hot chocolates coming up," Beth told them, leaving them again. "Mama," Theresa's fingers played with the pink sugar packets in the tray in front of her as she talked, her dark eyes not meeting her mother's gaze. "You and Papa don't have to watch Cristian and Ali if you have plans. I'm sure Chad wouldn't mind." "No, Mija," Pilar cut her daughter off, frowning at the abruptness of her own tone. "Your father and I don't mind," she began again, more gently this time as she realized her daughter had no suspicions about Chad's plans for the day. At least not before she reacted so strangely to her request. "I'm sure Chad has something special planned," she told her, praying Theresa didn't figure what out just by looking at her pained expression. She was tiptoeing on really thin ice, and she prayed to be rescued from her own loose mouth soon. Obviously, her years of keeping Crane secrets hadn't prepared her for THIS. The minute Beth returned with their steaming mugs of hot chocolate, she saw her chance and seized it, wishing she could take her words back the moment they left her mouth. ""What are yours and Ethan's plans for Valentine's Day, Beth?" "Mama," Theresa's brown eyes were wide as they flashed to Beth's surprised face and back to her mother's slightly embarrassed face. Pilar frowned when she felt Theresa's kick beneath the table. "Forgive me. Your plans with Ethan are none of my business, Beth. I'm sorry." "Pilar," Beth smiled, trying not to laugh, "It's okay. Really. We've all known each other for a long time. It seems like forever. I don't mean that in a bad way," Beth hurried to explain. "In a good way. The best possible way. I just.I wasn't expecting you to say that," Beth said, grimacing when her nervous hand movements nearly toppled Pilar's mug of hot chocolate over. Beth and Pilar looked at each other in astonishment when Theresa burst into a fit of girlish laughter. "Look at us," Theresa giggled. "This is silly. You.me.Mama. Being so awkward around each other. Things are only going to get MORE awkward if we let them." "You know what?" Beth said, tucking her dark hair behind her ear with a smile. "You're right. This IS ridiculous. Just because I'm dating your.the man you used to.Ethan," Beth groaned softly at her own stumbling tongue, "doesn't mean we can't be adults." "So you finally admit it," Theresa teased. "I'm happy for you. For both of you," she said softly. "Why don't you join me and Mama for some hot chocolate?" "I think I will. I just have to.I'll be right back," Beth told her. "Mama? What?" Theresa's dark eyes sparkled happily at her mother's secretive little smile. Pilar said nothing, but her smile grew even wider. She'd never been prouder. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ivy slid one leather-gloved hand into her purse, pulling out a compact and opening it to study her reflection. It DID cross her mind that Ethan never noticed her makeup anyway, but she was still doing a fairly good job convincing herself she actually HAD made the unnecessary trip to the offices to invite him to lunch. Never mind the voice mail he'd left on her cell telling her he had cleared his schedule for a meeting with Chad that could last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. She patted her white-blond hair into place with one hand, digging through her purse with it a second later to locate her tube of lipstick. She smiled predatorily when she finished applying the fresh coat, snapping her compact shut then spending the short walk from the elevators toward the main offices listing reasons why territorial simply wasn't accurate to describe the almost feline smile on her face at all. She was here to take Ethan out to lunch, after all. It merely made no sense. Ivy smirked as she searched the name plates on the closed office doors and the occupants inside the opened ones out of the corner of her eye and found just the man she was(n't) looking for with an expression of complete boredom on his open face. That expression of boredom morphed into a smile, and Ivy waited just outside his office for him to catch up to her. "Busy day at the office?" she asked, the flirtatious tone in her own voice nearly making her cringe. "Actually," Shane revealed, loosening the confining tie around his neck slightly as they walked down the hall, "not busy at all. Nobody trusts the new kid on the block," he stated with a shrug of his shoulders. Ivy blanched slightly at the 'kid' reference but regained color to her cheeks. Admittedly, the man beside her was a few years younger than her. Okay. Several years younger than her. She stopped mentally counting off the years after a decade. But.but.he was still a grown man, and it wasn't a crime to be attracted to him. She wasn't Mrs. Robinson. "What about you?" Shane smiled as they came to a standstill in front of Ethan's secretary's desk. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Crane," Jill greeted her pleasantly. "Mr.Shane," Jill laughed girlishly as she corrected herself. "Mr. Stone sounds too old," Shane explained with a whisper in Ivy's ear. Ivy grimaced at the word 'old.' "Jill," Ivy began, not liking the rapt attention Jill was giving the man at her side. "Is Ethan in? I was hoping he'd like to join me for lunch." Jill tore her gaze from Shane's smiling face reluctantly to inform Ivy that no. Ethan wasn't in at all, and she didn't expect him in anytime soon. Ivy sighed with feigned disappointment, thanking the girl and turning to leave. "Ivy, wait!" Shane hurried to catch up with her, and Ivy's Cheshire grin was back when she felt his hand on her arm. "I think we've already established that I'm not busy. Would you mind terribly if I took Ethan's place?" "I wouldn't mind," Ivy answered coyly. "In fact, I wouldn't mind at all," her blue-green eyes sparkled as they shared a smile. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Uncle Sam," Jake grumbled as he finished sweeping the hundred-year-old layer of dust the attic had collected into the dustpan MJ grudgingly held. "I thought you said you weren't mad at us." MJ sneezed as a plume of dust tickled his nostrils. "I wasn't," Sam's voice was muffled as he answered them across the cramped distance. "I'm not," he reassured them, stepping out from behind a particularly tall stack of boxes and walking toward them. "But that doesn't mean you don't deserve some type of punishment." Jake and MJ groaned as one, their dark eyes rolling in synchronized movements that made Sam chuckle. "This place is a disaster area. Dangerous," Jake muttered. "The space under Sara's bed is cleaner than this, and that's saying a lot, Uncle Sam. How many years have you and Grandma lived here?" MJ asked. "Two hundred?" Sam's blue eyes twinkled humorously at the two young boys as he set the box down on the floor at their feet and took a seat in the abandoned gliding rocking chair Grace used to rock the girls to sleep in. Jake tucked the broom he was holding onto behind Noah's old crib and joined MJ on the floor at Sam's feet. Jake's brown eyes watered and itched as he pulled at the untaped flaps of the brown box, withdrawing the biggest photo album he'd ever seen. "Wow! Are there pictures in here from the Great Depression when you were a teenager?" Jake snickered as Sam knuckled his spikes in mock anger. "No, but there are pictures of your dad playing dress-up." MJ giggled loudly when Sam flipped quickly through the album to find the embarrassing photos. "Grandpa! That's." "Oh man!" Jake exclaimed gleefully, tucking the photo of his dad and Luis dressed up like girly girls inside his shirt. "Dad won't ever ground me again." Sam groaned as he realized the blackmail possibilities his young nephew saw in the photographs. "Give me that," he requested, holding out his hand. "Kay asked about these pictures for Sheridan." And I never made the time to find them for her, he thought regretfully, pulling his somber looking little grandson to his feet and perching him on his knee. "Can I make posters of them first?" Jake inquired, refusing to give over the pictures until Sam snatched them from his hand. "No fair, Uncle Sam," he muttered, tugging the album from Sam's lap and resuming flipping through its pages.  
  
  
  
Sam rest a comforting hand on MJ's shoulder, peering over Jake's shoulder at the reminders of the past. "Why does Dad always look so guilty?" Jake wondered aloud. "Because he was always into trouble, and some of those pictures were used as proof," Sam chuckled, glancing at Mj and noticing his dark eyes weren't laughing. They were staring straight ahead at something in the album. Jake started to turn the page again, intent on finding more pictures of his dad when MJ startled him by yelling "NO!" and darting his small hand out to stop him. Jake readily surrendered his loot, confused as all heck over his cousin's reaction. He scrambled to his feet, leaning over Sam's shoulder to see what had MJ acting so weird and looked to Sam's blue eyes for confirmation of what he thought he saw. MJ's hands shook as he held the picture up for closer inspection, and Uncle Sam's voice was almost as shaky when he spoke. That's your mom and dad," Sam pointed out Kay and Miguel's smiling young faces unnecessarily. "They were about your age, Jake. They played on the same ball team. They always were the best of friends." "Can I keep it?" MJ's voice was small and quiet as he clutched the photo in his hands to his chest. "The picture.can I keep it, Grandpa?" Sam cleared his throat as he stood up, lifting MJ from his knee and setting him down carefully. "Sure. Sure, you can. As a matter of fact, I think Grace has the perfect frame to put it in. Come on, boys. No more attic cleaning for today." Jake sighed and followed them down the stairs disappointedly. He could have used those pictures of his dad to get out of some pretty serious trouble. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Gwen's bleary brown eyes didn't stray from the computer screen when she heard the door to her office open with a soft snick. She just kept on typing, wondering again why the hell she worked so hard when she was the boss's daughter. Because she still felt she had to prove something, that she hadn't been handed her job, that she deserved her position in the company, she answered herself silently. That's why she was still as tenacious as ever, she decided. That's also why she would always work hard to prove her worth. That could also explain the heated glare she looked up from her computer screen with when a throat cleared several times, demanding her attention. She groaned and rolled her brown eyes when she met Hank's brown eyes, filled with little boy mischief. "Bennett," she couldn't help laughing as he winked at her, nodding his disheveled dark head at her and nearly making the large white chef's hat atop his head fall off. "Your afternoon feast, Madame," he grinned, setting the silver platter down in the exact middle of her desk, disregarding the mountain of paperwork there. Gwen saved her work on her computer and shut it off with an irritated but amused smile, propping her chin on her palm as she watched her husband whip two candlesticks from the ridiculous 'KISS THE CHEF' apron he wore. "More of the month of lluuurrvvee?" she cracked, raising dancing brown eyes to his boyish face. "But, of course," Hank smiled. She shook with silent laughter, watching his fumbling movements as he tried to be smooth and set up the perfect candlelight dinner. One of the candles broke in half after falling off the edge of her desk, and she jokingly told him that he was shorter than her. The candle was his. He knocked her favorite picture of the five of them Sheridan had taken over trying to make room on her desk for the sparkling bottles of. "Beer, Bennett? My husband.the incurable romantic. I'm almost afraid to ask what's for lunch." When Hank removed the silver lid with a flourish to reveal hot dogs heaped with sauer kraut and everything else, Gwen snorted with helpless laughter. "Sorry, Babe. Sara told us we were doing it all wrong, but Emmy and me still ruined the fancy chicken. Your hot dog, Madame," he grinned, picking up the other one for himself. "We did okay on the desert though," he told her with twinkling brown eyes as he lifted the lid of a second, smaller silver platter she hadn't noticed earlier and revealed two huge pieces of gooey chocolate cake. Gwen's smile stretched so wide her cheeks hurt, and she leaned across her desk, beckoning him closer with "C'mere you." Gwen smiled all through the kiss, laughing against his lips when he hurried around her desk, lips still attached to hers and collapsed into her leather chair, pulling her into his lap. She didn't pull out of the kiss until the acrid smell of smoke filled her nostrils, and she jumped from his arms screaming then. "HOLY golly !" Hank panicked as he tried to beat the growing flame out with his chef hat. In his frantic attempts at firefighting, he knocked several items from Gwen's desk into the fire, and the flame flared up when he accidentally 'added' their beers to the mix. Gwen snatched her prized picture and purse from the desk and stood back in horror as the fire alarm started going off in the building. "God help me, Bennett. You're going to burn Daddy's entire building down." "Me, Babe?" Hank shouted incredulously. "You kissed me! That makes this your fault." "My fault? My fault! Dammit, Hank!" she shrieked when the sprinkler system was triggered, dousing them both with cold jets of water. "I treat you to a romantic lunch, and this is the thanks I get," Hank muttered, not daring to laugh at her, her blond hair framing her face in wet ribbons with her ruined mascara running down her cheeks in little black rivers. He gave up, tossing his charred hat into the hissing fire and grabbing her hand at the first sound of the fire truck's horn. "Time to get out of Dodge!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Simone smiled at the little boy in her arms while the doctor talked with Grace and Miguel across the room. She heard snippets of their conversation every now and then, but she kept her focus on Joshua, smoothing his dark hair back from his forehead and pressing her lips on the warm skin there. The boy had Kay's eyes, and for a moment, she pretended she was smiling into her friend's eyes again, telling her without words how good it was to see her. She sighed, wrapping her arms around Joshua's waist and giving him a gentle squeeze as she was hit by a wave of longing to see Kay again so she could TELL her once more how much their friendship had meant to her. Grace and Miguel glanced across the room at them, and Simone pointed them out to Joshua, smiling when he flapped his little brown hand at them. She stood up, resting him on her hip when the doctor took his leave and Grace approached them with tears in her blue eyes and a trembling smile on her face. "Valentine's Day," she announced, and Simone looked to Miguel for confirmation. "He'll hear our voices for the first time," Grace whispered emotionally, taking her grandson in her arms and hugging him fiercely. Miguel's face transformed with one of his forgotten smiles, and Simone found herself laughing happily. Valentine's Day was going to be a day they NEVER forgot.  
  
  
Chapter 62 Luis held a finger to his smiling lips as he eased the door to his and Sheridan's bedroom open slowly. Ali's blue eyes twinkled back at him happily from beneath her purple baseball cap, and Cristian made a silent zipping motion across his lips with his own small fingers. Luis left the door open a crack, obscuring their beloved little faces but still enabling him to hear their soft giggles as their anticipation slowly built. The mattress shifted subtly under his added weight, and he almost couldn't contain the tenderness he felt for the woman still sleeping like an angel. He brought the red rose in his grasp to his nose, inhaling its sweet scent before trailing it across the exposed skin of her arm like a whisper. Sheridan's lashes fluttered against her cheeks, and her lips turned up in a ghost of a sleepy smile as she felt the tickling brush of the rose's petals against her shoulder followed by Luis's warm breath as he slipped his fingers beneath the thin blue strap of her nightgown and lowered it to press his lips to the freckled skin there. "I know that look," Sheridan whispered, her voice still husky with sleep, and Luis felt his heart swell inside his chest when he was met with the brilliance of her adoring, amused blue gaze. "What look is that?" he wondered, presenting the rose to her and delighting in her smile at his gift. "The one that.," she paused, feathering her fingers lovingly through the dark hair sprinkled with a few rogue gray strands that Ali's illness had brought on prematurely at his temple. "Jake told Ali we were the corniest grown-ups he'd ever met," she revealed with sparkling eyes. "Romance IS corny to kids," Luis shrugged with a grin. "Oh," Sheridan teased. "So you're Mr. Romantic now?" "I try," Luis answered in a voice just as teasing as his arm slid around her back, pulling her into a sitting position flush against him. Sheridan hummed appreciatively as his thorough kiss good morning brought her body and mind to full awareness, looping her arms around his neck and smiling into his rich, dark eyes as she nodded toward their bedroom door and Ali's bashfully grinning little face sneaking a peek inside. Luis pressed one last kiss to the palm that cupped his jaw, presenting her the delicate red rose as he beckoned Ali and Cristian inside with "Mommy's finally awake." Sheridan's blue eyes danced humorously at him, her smile hidden behind the petals of the flower she held to her nose. Ali walked through the bedroom door, Cristian at her side, carefully crossing the distance between them with a breakfast tray in her hands. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mommy," Ali and Cristian chorused as Luis took the tray from them and placed it in the middle of the unmade bed. "Blueberry muffins!" Sheridan cried, scooting back against the pillows at the bed's headboard and making room for Ali and Cristian. Luis grinned. Two words, and she had them beaming with proud pleasure. "And one." "The strawberry muffin's mine," Cristian volunteered. "Drink your milk, Mommy," Ali advised. "Nana said it's good for the baby." "Ali!" Cristian hissed, nudging Ali with his elbow before she had a chance to crawl into bed beside their mother, "You forgot!" Sheridan bit her lip to keep from laughing at the adorable scolding expression on her son's face as he pulled Ali aside and spoke to her in hushed whispers while Luis watched her face expectantly when Ali returned, a pale pink rose clasped between her small hands. "For you, Mommy," Ali whispered. "For the baby," Cristian said, presenting the pure white rose to her solemnly. Sheridan raised a trembling hand to wipe away the sudden tears threatening to spill from her eyes from their utterly sweet gesture as Ali climbed into the bed on her opposite side, taking the purple cap she wore from her head and handing it to Luis before she rest her cheek against the swell of Sheridan's rounded belly, listening for the baby's heartbeat. Luis took the roses from Sheridan and arranged them in the slender crystal vase looking oddly out of place on the breakfast tray until now. "You don't like it," Cristian said, crestfallen that he had made her cry. "I love it," Sheridan whispered tearfully, tipping Cristian's tiny chin up so he'd meet her eyes with one hand while the other stroked Ali's head gently. "I still have room for one more," she told him, patting the empty space beside her. Cristian nestled against her, tucking his dark head beneath her chin and reaching down a hand to Ali's almost bare head with its sparse wisps of golden hair. Luis chuckled at the twinkle in his daughter's blue eyes as she rubbed her cheek against Sheridan's belly and started purring like a cat, sounding more like Miss Priss than Miss Priss did until she burst into helpless giggles. "Oh you," Sheridan tapped her index finger against Ali's nose affectionately, laughter bubbling up within her as Cristian tried to stifle his own giggles against her shoulder. Her smile was radiant as she looked at Luis, and he couldn't wipe the ridiculously big smile off his own face as he stared into her sparkling blue eyes, thankful for such a perfect moment amidst all the turmoil barely kept at bay. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mommy," he murmured.  
  
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"I don't understand," Jake muttered, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants and pacing the hospital halls beside his dad. "I thought Aunt Grace said." "Aunt Grace was excited," Hank explained, smirking as his son mirrored his every movement. "That sucks," Jake commiserated with Joshua's situation. "Exactly how I'd want to spend my Valentine's Day. In the hospital having surgery when I still won't be able to hear for a while." "Don't worry, Little Buddy," Hank gripped Jake's shoulder firmly. "Joshua WILL hear soon. The doctors just have to make sure his stitches heal and that everything's a go before they activate his implants." "Gee, Dad," Jake answered with as much sarcasm as he could muster. "You're such an expert. Maybe YOU should be Joshua's doctor." Hank chuckled as he steered his wisecracking young son back toward the waiting area where Gwen and the girls kept two sets of restless grandparents company. Abby and MJ sat in a secluded corner having one of their heart to heart sessions. Hank knew Tink was trying to convince MJ to leave the hospital and come to the Valentine's party at the Youth Center with them, but he also knew prying MJ away from Miguel and Joshua's side lately and getting him to actually have fun was like fighting an uphill battle. "MJ, you just HAVE to go," Abby mock-whined. "Everybody that's anybody is going to be there, and I don't have a date." Noah and Jessica watched the tug of war of wills going on between the nutcase and her demon seed with amusement. If neither had known better, they'd think the blow to the head Abby suffered had knocked her a little wacky. But that just wasn't the case. Abby's wackiness was definitely a preexisting condition. "I hear it's going to be a great party," Jessica smiled, kneeling before her nephew. Myles slid off the stiff waiting room chair beside Simone and marched over to Jessica's side, wrapping his arms around her neck. "Uncle Noah's taking Myles," Jessica told MJ as she rubbed her son's back in absent circles, and MJ's dark eyes lifted to study his uncle's face. "I can't leave them," he muttered, giving Abby and Jessica apologetic looks. "How 'bout if we wait until he's out of surgery so you can make sure he's okay? We'll be fashionably late," Abby told MJ with a wink. A smile so tiny and so quick to disappear was almost undetectable on MJ's lips, but Jessica knew without a doubt she'd seen it. "You promise to wait?" MJ questioned Abby. "Scout's honor," Abby vowed solemnly. Well, as solemnly as she could manage, Jessica realized with a laugh at the merry twinkle in those hazel eyes, amazed at the other woman's resiliency as she found her own eyes drawn once again to the slight discoloration surrounding Abby's left eye. Before, she hadn't understood Kay's friendship with Abby, but she was slowly becoming aware of how well they had fit each other. "You should go, MJ," Miguel gave his blessing as he strode by. "You really promise?" MJ looked up at Abby again. "Am I going to have to sign my name in blood?" Abby huffed. MJ, Jake, and Sara giggled while Emily and Myles just looked horrified. "Geez," Abby grumbled good-naturedly. "I promise." "Okay," MJ relented. "I'll go. You don't have to hug me," he grumbled, rolling his eyes at Abby's response. "Yuck!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I've missed you so much, Ms. Sheridan!" Lissy cried, tightening her arms around Sheridan's waist and staring up at her with the chocolate eyes that only seemed to get bigger the older she grew. Sheridan stroked an affectionate hand through Lissy's tawny hair with a smile. "I've missed you too, Lissy. Tell me about your grandpa, Sweetie. Is he doing better?" Sheridan inquired, leading the little girl to a vacant row of chairs in one corner of the Youth Center. Sheridan held Lissy's Kool-Aid and plate of Valentine's goodies while she waited for the little girl to seat herself. "Daddy says he's too stubborn to die," Lissy told her with the unrestrained honesty only a child possessed. "You want a cookie, Ms. Sheridan?" Lissy politely offered before munching on her own heart-shaped treat with red sugar sprinkles. "No thank you," Sheridan refused, settling in the chair beside the little girl. "Daddy said Grandpa's been a real crab apple lately," Lissy divulged, chewing on her cookie thoughtfully. "Really?" Sheridan's blue eyes twinkled with amusement at Lissy's animated retelling of what her father had most likely said in passing. "Really," Lissy nodded her head vigorously. "Daddy says Grandpa's been upset because his lady doctor went on vacation. My grandpa really likes her, you know. Daddy says he forgets sometimes and calls her my mommy's name 'cause she looks kind of like her, but Daddy says she's nothing like her and he doesn't like her that much at all. I don't think he means it, Ms. Sheridan. I think my daddy likes her too. He's just afraid of what Mommy would think. It'd be nice to have a mommy again," Lissy sighed. "Sometimes I wish you weren't married to Mr. Luis so you could be my mommy, Ms. Sheridan. Does that make me a bad girl?" "I don't think so," Sheridan said, giving the little girl a gentle smile. "I used to wish Mr. Luis's Mama was MY mommy with all my heart." "Now she kinda is," Lissy positively beamed at her. "If Cristian was older, I'd marry him, and you could be my mommy too," the little girl said excitedly. "Ms. Sheridan, I'll be right back. I have to go tell Ali something." Sheridan was still laughing quietly when Theresa joined her. "What's so funny?" Theresa giggled with her, only because her lighthearted laughter was infectious. "I'm still a little young to be a mother-in-law, don't you think?" Sheridan continued to laugh, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Definitely," Theresa agreed. "But if that isn't a glimpse into the future," she said, nodding her head across the Youth Center where Jake and Ali stood, "I don't know what is."  
  
  
  
"I made you something, Jake," Ali smiled at Jake sweetly, slipping a hand into the pouch of the pale pink fleece pullover she wore and withdrawing a medium-sized red rectangular envelope. "She made you something, Jakey-poo," Dylan sneered behind Jake's back, both eyes still not completely recovered from meeting Jake's and MJ's fists. Obviously, the jerk hadn't learned his lesson, Jake thought with a scowl as he closed his ears best he could against Dylan's annoying jeering. If he said something to hurt Ali's feelings, Jake wasn't going to bother hitting him again. He was going to march across the Youth Center and steal Uncle Luis from his dad and see how nasty Dylan really was. "I made you something too, Dylan," Ali said softly, holding out a smaller white envelope. Jake's jaw fell in disbelief. "Ali! Dylan's.he said." he trailed off as Dylan reluctantly took the card from Ali, like he thought it was going to explode or something. Whatever was in the card sure threw Dylan for a loop. He got really pale and guilty-looking and walked away, looking like a kicked puppy. Not that Jake had ever seen a kicked puppy. Dad and Gus didn't get along that good, but Dad would never. "Aren't you going to open it?" Ali asked quietly, her blue eyes sparkling at him expectantly. Jake felt his cheeks burning and was surprised they weren't bursting into flames when he opened the card and his and Ali's picture from her mom and dad's second wedding popped out at him. The one where Ali was kissing him. At the same time Jake was thinking the whole pop- up thing was totally cool, he was mortified at the thought of anyone that hadn't already seen the picture seeing it. "Um.Ali." he stammered uncomfortably, feeling his blush spread all the way to his ears. "See, Jake?" Ali stepped closer to him, and Jake blinked, unable to say a word in response when she smiled at him like she was doing with her eyes so pretty and blue and happy. "It says to my best friend. You're my best friend, Jake," Ali said, smiling that magical smile at him again. It also said "Love, Ali," at the bottom, but Jake wasn't about to say anything about THAT. "Um, Ali.I didn't get you anything," Jake blurted out the lie as he stared at the little gold heart earrings on Ali's ear lobes, the goofy card he'd stolen from Sara and Emily's card packet burning a hole in his own pants pocket. It wasn't.special enough for Ali anymore. "I'm sorry," he muttered, staring at his feet. "That's okay," Ali told him sincerely, giggling as Lissy arrived at her side out of breath and excited. Jake watched Lissy drag Ali toward the refreshment table with a guilty frown on his lips. He HAD to get her something but WHAT? Chad bounced the orange globe back to Sara, a tickled grin on his face at her attempts to dribble the ball. The red ribbon in her chin-length brown hair was a distant memory, trashed the very minute Gwen had taken her eyes off of her obstinately tom-boyish young daughter and wandered across the Youth Center to visit with Sheridan and Theresa (that was something Chad still wasn't used to). Sara shoved her tangled hair out of her face, bouncing the basketball with dogged determination. "So.what'd your dad get your moms for Valentine's Day?" "Hair dye to cover up all the gray hairs he gives her," Sara said nonchalantly. Chad chuckled, stealing the ball from the little girl easily. "Hey!" Sara cried, flailing her arms out to steal the ball back. Chad passed the ball from hand to hand, grinning at the look of intense concentration on Sara's face as she watched its movement. "He gave her some aspirin for all the headaches he gives her too," Sara remembered, squealing when her efforts finally paid off and the ball was back in her possession. "Is that it?" Chad questioned, going easy on her for the time being so he could recapture his breath, not from overexerting himself but from trying to keep his laughter silent and hidden from the little girl in front of him. "He gave her some pretty earrings. They're 14 karats something," Sara shrugged. "Dad got a new car." "For your moms?" Chad asked, impressed. "DAD got a new car," Sara repeated, slightly annoyed that Chad was asking her such a silly question when she'd told him."Don't you mean your dad got your moms a new car?" Sara huffed in frustration and bounced the ball at him. Hard. "No, Silly. MOM bought Dad a car, and she was going to take it back after Dad set Grandpa's building on fire. But it was too late 'cause Jake already knew about it and tattled, and Mom didn't have anything else for Dad." "Sara," Chad held up his hands in surrender. "I get you, Girl. Where is this new car?" "At home in the garage," Sara muttered, picking the basketball back up and wrapping her arms around it. "Mom told Dad he had to be on his best behavior before he could get rid of his old clunker and use the new car. She hid the key from him." Chad grinned after her as she left in search of Emily and Cristian. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nick smiled to himself as he heard Abby's key turn in the lock, and he removed the skillet from the stove eye, turning the gas off and reaching into the cupboards to withdraw a couple of wine glasses. He filled one glass generously before realizing Abby had yet to announce her homecoming like usual. "Abby?!" "In here," Abby called, and Nick followed the sound of her voice to the back of the apartment. Nick's gray eyes shied away modestly when he discovered her half-dressed in her bedroom, pulling her jeans over her hips and leaving them unbuttoned as she rifled through the near-endless selection of clothes in her wildly cluttered closet. Nick cleared his throat awkwardly when Abby whipped the stained cinnamon sweater over her head unself-consciously. Abby smirked when she saw his reaction to her state of undress in the reflection of her bedroom mirror. Let him sweat, she thought with a sly grin, deciding to take her own sweet time finding a replacement to wear to the Valentine's party she and MJ were due at.an hour ago. "What do you think?" she asked, whirling around and holding up two different sweaters. Nick swallowed slowly and tried to keep his eyes on the clothes she was holding up and not think about the clothes she wasn't wearing. Abby's hazel eyes twinkled as she felt Gray Eyes's gaze land somewhere not her face and definitely not the long-sleeved, form- fitting ruby blouse she held in one hand and the casual plum sweatshirt she held in the other. "Nick?" Nick shook his head, forcing himself to remove his eyes from the crimson lace covering her. "Wear the red one. It matches with your linge.it's more festive. You're going out?" Nick practically choked. Abby bit the inside of her cheek to keep from bursting into laughter at his dazed expression. "More festive?" she teased as she eased the zipper up her hips. "I thought so too. Thanks for the input. Yeah," she said, turning around and laying the vetoed sweatshirt across her bed. Nick didn't have time to hide the fact that he'd been staring at the brilliantly colored tattoo across her lower back when she turned around suddenly, slipping the ruby shirt over her tawny head and hurriedly tucking it into her jeans as she slid her feet into the high-heeled black boots at the foot of her bed. "Noah's waiting outside with the boys." Noah? What the hell was."The boys?" Nick asked instead, discounting the possibility that he could be jealous and trying to pretend the nagging feeling he was experiencing was only heightened curiosity. "Myles and MJ," Abby explained, grabbing her suede jacket from her closet and smiling at Nick as she brushed past. "The party at the Youth Center," she reminded him, slipping her arms inside the jacket and taking time to tuck her tawny hair beneath the dark brown, nearly black beret atop her head. "Why don't you come with us? "I can't," Nick couldn't stop the lie from escaping his lips. "I have other plans," he elaborated, remembering the wine and meal he'd cooked growing colder as time passed. Other plans? What other plans, Abby wondered as she struggled to hide her disappointment. "Too bad," she replied with a small, faltering smile. "You're missing out on a great party. I mean, it's for the kids, but.Nevermind," Abby sighed. "Be sure to tell me all the juicy details," she teased half-heartedly as she let herself out of the apartment without another glance in Nick's direction. What details? What plans, Nick asked himself as he downed the glass of wine he'd poured earlier and put the bottle back into the refrigerator. There was nothing to tell. Chapter 63 "Well, if it isn't Harmony's resident SAPS," Abby teased, hazel eyes rolling in exaggerated disgust as she crossed her arms across her chest and planted herself right in front of Sheridan and Luis. Sheridan laughed softly, leaning back further into Luis's embrace when his arms wrapped around her waist. "A word of advice," Abby dropped her voice to an intimate whisper as she stepped closer to them. "I know Mr. Hunk here probably has something REALLY romantic planned for tonight, and I wouldn't expect anything less," Abby said, smirking at the amused expressions Sheridan and Luis both sported. "Besides.Pilar and Martin already filled me in about keeping Ali and Cristian at the hospital earlier. Can't have the kiddies around for what you got planned, huh Luis?" Abby plowed ahead, delighting in teasing the hell out of them both. "Just remember.I know they can be mighty powerful, but pregnancy hormones be damned.you don't want to, how should I put his? OverDO things. None of that kinky golly I know you secretly love." A small brown hand reached in between them, and Sheridan and Luis gasped in slightly embarrassed surprise, wondering just how much of the conversation MJ had heard. "That's two dollars," MJ grinned, holding out his hand for the cash. "Why you little." Abby grumbled, pulling a wadded five-dollar bill out of her jeans pocket. "I don' t have change. Dammit," she swore. "Three dollars plus two dollars makes five dollars," MJ's dark eyes laughed at her as he snatched the bill out of her hand before she could protest any more. "Aren't you just a mathematical genius?" Abby sneered as MJ stuffed the crumpled money into his pocket. "Did you see that?" Abby turned back to Sheridan and Luis with a proud smile. "Our Demon Seed is slowly coming back to us." "Jake, I don' t see why you don't just give Ali the card. She'll love it no matter what because it's from you. You know you don't have to give her a present. Ali won't care," Gwen sighed, trying to talk some sense into her panicking son. "But Mom," Jake whined. "But Jake," Gwen whined back. "What do you think, Bennett?" she nudged Hank with her elbow, making him splash cherry Kool-Aid all over his white Henley and all over the front of his pants. "Babe! What the hell?!" Hank let out an humiliatingly girly squeal. Gwen's brown eyes sparkled with barely suppressed humor, and when Emily scrambled up the bleachers, her little face contorted with panic as she started giving Hank 'CPR' (Kool-Aid- sticky kisses to whatever part of Hank's body she could reach), mother and son forgot all about their little disagreement and saw eye to eye on one thing.only them. This would only happen to them, and only Emily would mistake cherry Kool-Aid for blood and try to 'love' her daddy back to life. Jake snickered and hopped off the bleachers, deciding to go benefit Sara from his expertise on basketball and teach her how to REALLY play the game. "Don't worry, Daddy. I'll make it all better," Emily vowed, clinging to Hank like a trembling vine. "Emmy.Emmy, Daddy's not hurt. It's Kool-Aid," Hank told his daughter. Emily's brown eyes sparkled and her voice was sweet and cheerful as she slid out of Hank's arms with a smile. "Oh! Can I have some?" Hank looked to Gwen in dumbfounded amazement. Grace's eggs couldn't have been secretly implanted in Gwen's womb when they weren't looking, could they? His Emmy was his brother's wife's mini-clone. "Ali," Lissy's chocolate eyes were earnest and tearful as she hugged Ali's neck tightly and pulled back to run her little girl fingers across the pink and white-checked bandana covering Ali's head. "I wish you could come back to school. I miss you awful much." "Me too," Ali said softly, her blue eyes just as solemn but without the tears. Hope shone in Ali's blue eyes brightly as she combed Lissy's tawny hair back off her shoulders, and she spoke in a gentle whisper. "Dr. Nick says he's going to get me ALL better so I can come back to school AND play with my brand-new baby sister when she's born, and everything's going to be like it was before. Only better." "But Ali," Lissy protested, "you haven't been to school since." she paused to try to mentally count off the exact number of days Ali had missed but couldn't do it. "You've missed too many days Ali. You won't be in my class anymore. It won't be the same," Lissy pouted. "My mommy's been helping me with my school work," Ali told Lissy with a smile. "She has?" Lissy asked hopefully, "Is she smarter than Ms. Kinsay?" "Uh huh," Ali giggled, "but don't tell Ms. Kinsay I said so." "I won't," Lissy promised, crossing her heart then pinkie-swearing with Ali for added measure. "Oh Ali!" Lissy cried, flinging her arms back around Ali's neck. "I'm egg-static." Ali giggled as Lissy let go of her neck, and the two little girls started walking across the Youth Center hand in hand. "I think I see my daddy, Ali," Lissy announced as they neared the refreshment table. "So Noah," Abby grinned as she indulged herself in a little open admiration of the dark blond god's rock-hard physique. "You're young, very attractive, and single. Why is that exactly?" Noah's silver-blue eyes danced at her as he lifted Myles up so the little boy could reach the tray of pink-iced and white-iced cupcakes Beth had brought with her arrival. "Maybe I haven't met the right woman yet. I could say the same for you, you know," he remarked, watching her as she leaned down to wipe the glob of pink icing from the corner of Myles's mouth with the pad of her thumb. "Young?" Abby scoffed. "I was probably born in a different decade than you so hell no. I'm not what YOU'd consider young. Single? An eternal curse or blessing-depending on a person's point of view. You, I think, would fall into the latter category," Abby surmised, handing Myles another glass of Kool-Aid with the distracted thought that the kid was going to be bouncing off the walls at 3 a.m. with all the sugar pumped into his system in the last hour alone. "You forgot attractive," Noah offered her a charming smile. Abby rolled her hazel eyes at him. "Noah Bennett, are you flirting with me?" "She's not available, Uncle Noah," MJ interjected with a little smirk as his arm darted out in search of a cupcake. "She's in love with Ali's Dr. Nick," he mumbled around a mouthful of cupcake, wisely leaving them before Abby found the strength to pick her jaw back up off the ground and regained the rest of her mental and physical capabilities. "He.he's wrong. I'm not.there's nothing.there's some.feelings.of some sort involved," Abby stammered in awkward explanation. "I'm weak from too many sex-less years.uh, I have someone I want you to meet," she quickly changed the subject. "How do you feel about blind dates?" "Auntie," Chad leaned over Sheridan's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "I need a favor." The smile on Sheridan's face grew as Chad detailed his request to the letter, and she promised to do everything he asked. Even if it DID cut into her evening plans just a wee bit. "You're the best auntie in the entire world," Chad teased her as he started to back away and make himself scarce. "Abby and Noah already agreed to chaperone the dance tonight. Are you sure you can find." "Chad," Sheridan laughed, shooing him out the door, "it wasn't too long ago that **I** ran this place. Luis before me. It won't be a problem. Go. This is a big night for you." "What was THAT all about?" Beth asked as she sat down in the empty seat beside Sheridan. "I'm sworn to secrecy," Sheridan said, biting her lip, "but it looks like Ethan might be able to clue you in. I really don't mean to be rude, Beth, but it looks like I'm being paged," Sheridan gave Beth an apologetic smile as she answered Cristian's unspoken plea to save him from a circle of squabbling little girls. "So Ethan," Beth turned her curious brown eyes to her.friend? Boyfriend? More? "What's Chad got up his sleeve? And why is it making YOU so uncomfortable?" "I used to wonder how different my life would be if I'd made my decision sooner and not hurt either of them as badly as I did." Beth stayed silent, knowing without asking who the 'them' Ethan was talking about was-Gwen and Theresa. "It's in the past, Ethan," she reminded him gently. "I thought about marrying her once." Ethan cleared his throat. So Chad was going to propose, Beth made the educated guess easily. "I thought about marrying Luis once too, and I was convinced Sheridan couldn't make him happy the way I would have," she murmured. "But I was only kidding myself. He adores her, Ethan. She's his LIFE. I've never been someone's life. Not with Luis, not with Hank, not even with you. We're only a part of each other's lives, but I'm happy, and that's enough for me. Is it enough for you, Ethan?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "You didn't have to come in with me," Ivy told Shane as they walked down the long white halls of the hospital in search of Joshua Lopez-Fitzgerald's hospital room. Shane was able to hide the smirk on his lips from her, but Ivy most definitely saw the twinkle in his hazel eyes as he retorted, "You didn't have to bring a present to the B & B. I think you knew Grace would be HERE. Admit it. Since our lunch, you've been finding excuses to see me," Shane teased. "You and your sister are more alike than I realized," Ivy stated, looking straight ahead and not meeting his eyes. Shane chuckled. "Abby would LOVE hearing you say THAT," he muttered under his breath. "Is it a crime to admit you enjoy spending time in my presence?" "You wouldn't take NO for an answer," Ivy frowned, pausing at the nurses' station to question the nurse on duty about the location of Joshua's room. "I asked once," Shane reminded her, leaning down to whisper softly in her ear, "You said YES." It took everything Ivy had inside NOT to react to his proximity. What the hell was she thinking anyway? She set this whole tease into motion, and now she was having trouble going through with it. Something about the man intrigued her, attracted her to him, but something was holding her back from acting on her most tempting impulses. Or rather, SOMEONE, she realized as they rounded a corner, and Grace and Sam came into view. Ivy looked at them, holding each other so carefully, and she couldn't help the residual pang she felt in her heart at the sight. She'd already reconciled herself to the fact that Sam's love for her was in the past, but a small part of her, the part that still ached when she looked into their son's eyes, would ALWAYS love him. Try as she might, she couldn't change that fact. "Ivy? Ivy, is something wrong?" Shane inquired quietly, taking the teddy bear from her numb fingers and leading her back around the corner and away from Sam and Grace. "Nothing," Ivy shook her head to clear it of the cobwebs. "Nothing, it's just.visiting hours should be enjoyed by his family, and I don't really think we should intrude. He's probably sleeping anyway. We should just.leave this," she grabbed the floppy teddy bear back from him, "at the nurses' station." "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Shane asked again, searching her blue-green eyes. "No, nothing's wrong," she finally answered him, her lips stretching into a wide Cheshire grin. "I don't need anymore excuses, strangely, I like spending time with you, and I'm not going to take no for an answer. I have two tickets to the Valentine's Ball at the Seascape. Come with me?" "Wow," Shane grinned. "No more hiding behind excuses. I like that. What time should you pick me up?" he teased a chuckle out of her. Ivy was still laughing as they left the nurses' station. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Abby held the mirror in front of her, turning sideways and checking to make sure every strand of tawny hair in her French twist was in place. The deep red dress clung to her body in all the right places, she thought with a wry grin, creating the illusion that she had curves that just didn't exist. Not certain beautiful, buxom, blue-eyed blond curves anyway. Ordinary, reasonably attractive, small-chested, hazel-eyed Abby curves. The dress had a long slit in one side that exposed nearly her entire thigh, but what did that matter, she frowned, when you didn't have killer legs to show off, and your audience for the night was going to be a bunch of hormonal teenagers? At least the strappy, so NOT appropriate for the dead of winter heels she was wearing put her over the five feet five mark. Barely. She wondered if she could look directly into Gray Eyes's eyes without getting a crick in her neck with the sexy heels. Where the hell was Gray Eyes? The whole other plans bit was pissing her off more than she would have liked to admit. Damn, but she wished the man would stop doing the two-step around her! And she was inclined to tell him just that when she heard the front door open and the approaching sound of footsteps. "I think it's time to torture the good doctor a little," she told her reflection, earning a indignant meow from the black kitten lounging on the edge of the bathroom sink. "Oh, blow it out your old wazoo," she stuck her tongue out at the creature, flipping off the light and stepping outside.  
  
  
  
"Abby, you're ba.you just got back. Are you going somewhere?" Nick said, finally able to get his mind and tongue to cooperate with one another. Abby pretended not to notice the intense way he was looking at her or the slight hitch of protest in his voice when he realized she wasn't sticking around. "Noah and I promised Chad we'd chaperone the Dance tonight for the teens. I thought you had other plans," she murmured, slipping her sparkling earrings into each ear. "Other plans? Yeah.right. Other plans. After you left.they got postponed 'til later. I'm meeting her later." HER?! What's the big deal, Abby, the nagging voice inside her head jeered. What were you expecting? A HIM? It'd be just up your alley to lust after a gay man. "Oh. Well.I hope you have a great time" Brilliant performance, Meryl. "Thanks," Nick said quietly, watching her fumble with the clasp of the solitaire diamond necklace in her hands. "Nick?" she implored him for his help with hazel eyes, holding out the necklace. Abby tried to ignore the unwelcome flutter that rose within her stomach when his long, masculine fingers brushed against her palm, making her nerve endings tingle. And she fought like hell to stay upright as he moved in close behind her, his body barely touching hers as he leaned forward, draping the necklace across her neck. Such a serious miscalculation on her part. Gray Eyes was never the tortured soul. SHE was, she thought with a trembling breath, trying to ignore the soft puff of his hot breath against her skin and the way it made her stomach engage in the most awe-inspiring acrobatics. She held her breath as Nick slowly turned her around, holding the necklace up in the palm of his hand and admiring it. "It's fake," Abby blurted before he even had a chance to ask, easing some of the tension in the air and coaxing a lazy smile from Nick. "But you're real," he pointed out. "Of course, I'm real," Abby scoffed. "Even **I** think I'm too strange to be fake," she cracked, enjoying the laugh that bubbled up within him. "Strange? I don't have a problem with strange things. Or people. I LIKE strange." Was he.did he just.oh dear God, she was going to fall flat on her face from the shock. She felt so damned wobbly in her kick-ass heels. She had the strangest sensation that he wanted to kiss her, and then.let's just say Noah had no clue about the HELL he was in for the entire night after shattering the 'moment'. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Theresita? Is that you? Did you forget.Gwen. Jake," Pilar smiled warmly, stepping aside and inviting the unexpected arrivals inside. "I'm sorry. I thought you were Theresa. She forgot her gloves. "I'm sorry for dropping by without warning," Gwen smiled humorously at the woman that knew her young son well, "but Jake refused to wait. He HAD to give Ali her Valentine's Day present," she sighed, nodding her blond head at Jake as he approached the sofa where Ali reclined with Cristian and MJ, watching television. Cristian and MJ giggled when Jake handed Ali the prettily wrapped package. "He's dragged me across the entire mall looking for the PERFECT gift," she laughed, falling silent as they watched Ali pull the pink ribbon of the package free slowly. Mothers weren't the only ones prone to sticking their noses into their children's 'love' lives. Grandmothers did too. Whenever they got the chance. And Pilar and Gwen hung on every word exchanged between Jake and Ali. The heart-covered wrapping paper fell away, and Ali lifted the lid of the box carefully, her sweet mouth falling open in delighted surprise when she withdrew a beautiful little box with a tiny blond angel resting on a cloud on its front. "She looked kind of like you," Jake mumbled. "It plays music. Listen," he instructed. Ali's smile was almost too big, too radiant for the small living room when the tinkling tune played, and Jake, regrettably, found himself blushing for the second time that day-it was all Ali's fault! "Happy Valentine's Day, Ali. No more kissing," Jake warned, holding his hands up in front of himself like a shield. "You are a "Tuesday's Child,' aren't you? Mom said you were born on Tuesday, but I said it didn't matter 'cause she looked like you, and it was perfect even though it's not really a Valentine's present.you do like your present, don't you Ali? I told you no more kissing," Jake grumbled, wiping his cheek roughly with the sleeve of his sweater when he felt the soft press of Ali's lips against his cheek. Ali just giggled and tucked her music box close to her heart with a softly whispered "Thank you."  
  
Chapter 64 "Chad! Where are you taking me?" Theresa giggled as Chad walked her forward, keeping his gloved hands over her eyes the entire time. Snow crunched beneath her chunky-heeled black boots, and she nearly tripped when her foot came into contact with an elevated surface she assumed was a sidewalk. "Chad, you know I'm not the most graceful person," Theresa grinned, certain she looked completely silly with her arms outstretched in front of her, ready to brace herself if she started to fall flat on her face. "Theresa, girl," Chad chuckled as he carefully steered her toward the front door of his newly acquired property. "You're a klutz. Keep your eyes closed while I open the door." "Oh, we're going inside. Where? Chad?" Theresa couldn't help but ask. "Chill, alright?" Chad told her, a smile in his voice as she answered him back with "Not a problem." "You'll find out soon enough. Watch your step," Chad instructed her, placing a guiding hand at the small of her back as they stepped inside. Theresa breathed a sigh of relief when she no longer felt the cold bite of the February night air against her cheeks and reached up a hand to pull the red scarf looped around her neck off. "Chad? Can I open my eyes now?" she giggled again, tucking one long, curling strand of mahogany hair behind her ear. "Chad?" "Over here," Chad's voice echoed as it reached her ears, and Theresa's dark eyes snapped open, widening in surprise when they took in her surroundings. Behind her and at each side was open space, so much open space it made her jaw drop. And in front of her.twinkling white lights. Everywhere. And a table set for two. "Chad," Theresa approached him with sparkling brown eyes. "This is.this is beautiful. But why this place?" she asked, turning around slowly. "Have some patience, girl. You'll find out soon enough," he responded simply, offering her his hand. Theresa took it and let him lead her to the small table and pull out her chair for her. "Chad!" she laughed, when he disappeared from her side for several seconds. Soft music started playing, and she gasped in slight surprise when Chad reappeared in front of her, holding a chilled bottle of champagne. "What are we toasting to?" she asked, beaming at him in the soft flicker of candlelight and twinkling white lights as he carefully poured them each a glass. Chad shrugged, his dark eyes sparkling teasingly at her across the table, "Valentine's Day. Us. Your new place." he grinned as he clinked his glass against hers. "To us," Theresa whispered softly, lifting her own glass to her lips. "Wait a minute.My new place? Chad, what are you talking ab.oh my goodness! Chad?" Theresa practically squealed as she sprang from her seat, nearly knocking over the candles and bottle of champagne in the process. "This is mine. This is really mine?" "All yours," Chad grinned, barely having time to prepare for her fierce hug of thanks. He chuckled as she kissed him on the lips quickly and started tugging him along with her as she took in her surroundings with new eyes, their candlelit dinner long forgotten with the excitement of her new discovery. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"Dammit!" Abby swore as she stumbled inside the darkened apartment. Kick- ass heels, huh? More like flat on her ass heels. "Good for nothing garbage," she muttered, glaring at the broken shoe dangling from her fingertips. She pulled the other heel off and tossed both shoes onto the sofa as she leaned forward to turn the lamp on the end table on. " golly !" she screamed when her hand came in contact with something warm, fuzzy, and breathing. "You little beast," she glared at the purring black furball accusingly once the lamp was turned on, "don't scare the one who feeds you and cloth.uh, feeds you and scoops your litterbox like that. You don't want to be an outside cat, do you?" Lucky rolled over onto his back, presenting his stomach to her to be scratched. "All right, you little monster," she grumbled as she complied with the kitten's demand for affection, "but don't expect me to be at your beck and call. Where's Gray Eyes, huh?" Abby sighed as she slid the spaghetti straps of her dress off her shoulders as best she could manage with one free hand. "Peeping Tom," she rolled her twinkling hazel eyes at the animal as it proceeded to watch her peel the dress from her body and stroll toward her bedroom in just her lingerie. Did she WANT Gray Eyes to come home from his 'other plans' early and find her in nothing but a pair of crimson lace undies? She wasn't afraid to tempt fate sometimes, she reasoned as she picked Nick's gray sweatshirt-strike that- HER gray sweatshirt up from its customary place across the armchair beside her bed and slipped it over her tawny head as she padded into the kitchen in her bare feet. This Valentine's Day, from a romantic entanglement standpoint, was going down in the history books as one of the biggest, no.THE biggest disappointment she'd suffered since junior high. Contrary to what she'd said at the party to Noah earlier in the day, she was enjoying the hell out of being flirted with.even more so tonight. Until she'd introduced the guy to a certain green-eyed nurse just crazy enough to agree to chaperone the Dance too. You asked for it, Abby, the nagging voice inside her head reminded her. "Some kind of something going on there," she muttered, opening the freezer and taking out the tried and true salve for her heart problems since her first major break-up. Eric Marguiles in the 7th grade dumping her for Meghan Nixon-the twelve-year-old with big boobs and perfect, straight, pearly-white teeth-without the aid of braces. "Slut," Abby growled in memory, foregoing a bowl and deciding to eat the ice cream from the container. It always tasted better that way anyway. Midway through her self-thrown pity party, anger welled up within her and she slammed the carton of ice cream down on the kitchen counter. "Other plans, and he almost kisses ME?" she huffed, stalking toward the punching bag hanging from the ceiling in one corner of the apartment. "Other plans?" Translation.I don't want YOU. I don't want to spend time with YOU. The bag was unyielding beneath her fists, and she grunted in frustration as she pounded it harder, imagining it was Gray Eyes's torso after another round of 'I want you.no, I'm sorry.I don't want you.' The sleeves of the gray sweatshirt swallowed her fists and arms whenever she struck out, irritating her more, and she'd be hard-pressed to identify a time when she was more pissed off than the moment she heard his footsteps behind her, his voice so close to her ear, his hand on her shoulder. Which might explain what happened next. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Are you sure you're okay with this?" Luis murmured against Sheridan's brow as they gently swayed to the music filling their living room. "Leaving the Seascape and coming home?" Sheridan answered back softly, her lips brushing his ear as she spoke. "Luis.I'm fine with this," she pulled back to look at his face. "You don't have to take me to fancy balls and go through so much trouble to make me happy. I'm happiest right here. In this living room. Dancing in my bare feet. Alone with the man that I'll love until the day I die," she whispered sincerely. "But you knew all these things. Didn't you?" she breathed, resting her forehead against his as they nuzzled noses and moved lips tenderly against each other. "You wanted me out of the house. Why?" Luis trailed his knuckles across Sheridan's silky cheek, smiling into her blue eyes as his other hand pressed at the small of her back and the slight swell of her pregnant belly met his abdomen. "You don't miss anything, do you? I needed a little bit of help with my surprise for you. Only it wouldn't have been a surprise.if we hadn't made an appearance at the Valentine's Ball," he told her. "Luis," Sheridan laughed, "are you implying that you can't trust me?" "To keep a surprise a surprise? Of course not," he teased, rubbing his thumb against the peek-a-boo patch of warm skin the red dress revealed at the base of her spine. "That's why I asked Mama and Papa for help," he grinned as he entwined their hands and gently pulled her in the direction of their bedroom. "Luis," Sheridan balked right outside their bedroom door, "You asked Pilar and Martin to." "Sheridan," Luis chuckled at her stricken expression at the thought of his mother or father even stepping foot inside their bedroom. "Mama and Papa were just here to supervise when the delivery guy came," he reassured her. "We're adults, we love each other, and we're married.Mama and Papa KNOW they're not keeping Ali and Cristian so we can play Scrabble," Luis teased, oddly pleased he could still make his wife blush. He captured her wrist before she could bring her hand in contact with his chest in a playful shove and pulled her body close to his own as his free hand twisted the doorknob and pushed their bedroom door open. "Deliveryman." Luis watched her expressive face, her blue eyes begin to sparkle with happiness and tears as looked inside their bedroom. Flowers. Flowers of every kind and color imaginable filled every crook and cranny of their bedroom. Roses of the deepest red hues, roses of every shade of pink, most vivid yellows and oranges, and purest white filled the bedroom with their fragrant scent. Sheridan's mouth hung open in amazement as she discovered more flowers-tulips, forget-me-nots, and carnations. "Are you trying to tell me something, Luis?" Sheridan laughed softly as she fingered the tiny blue forget-me-nots. "Luis, this must have cost." Luis shook his head and quieted her with a finger to her lips. Sheridan pressed a kiss to that finger, letting him seat her on their bed. She watched him with shimmering blue eyes as he crossed the bedroom to their armoire and retrieved an old, wooden box. Luis smiled at the question in her eyes as she took the box from him and carefully lifted the lid. Sheridan's hands trembled as she held a small, white card with tattered edges. "The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you.," she read, pausing when her voice got thick with tears, ".lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along." Luis cupped her jaw with one big brown hand and smiled into her eyes. "I wish I could take credit, but the words aren't mine. Only the feelings behind them. There's more," he told her, leaving her side once more as she removed another card from the box. She raised a hand to her mouth, girlish giggles escaping her lips as she read the 'Snoopy' Valentine. "Snoopy, Luis? Somehow I can't picture you or Hank with Snoopy Valentines." Luis grinned, approaching her with a hand behind his back. "I tried to find a card I would have given you as a five-year- old, but there weren't any 'GI Joe' cards anywhere." Her blue eyes lit up with mirth as he knelt at her feet and presented her with a tiny bouquet of daisies. "I didn't have any problem finding these though." "You were such a romantic five-year-old," she teased, taking the cheerful flowers between her fingers and lifting them to her nose. "What else is in there, Luis? That box is full." "Valentines for you," he answered, picking through the box until he found what he wanted.a card with hearts and flowers, bordering on true sappiness. A Valentine chosen quickly because of the embarrassment of actually giving a girl a gift and grudgingly given from one 8th grader to another. Her smile lit up the room, far outshining the softly flickering candles' light when Luis handed her the accompanying teddy bear, and she hugged it to her chest, leaning down brush her mouth against his. Valentines for each year were in the box, and he wanted her to see and read every one. Later. But there was one in particular he needed to give her. THIS year's Valentine. He handed her the love letter and watched her read it with his heart in his throat as the soft music from the living room reached his ears-a woman singing of her own Valentine. When she lifted her glistening azure eyes to his face, he could see straight through to her heart. "Oh, Luis." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "The baby clothes can go here," Theresa waved her arm in the general direction of the right side of the building as he pulled out her chair for her for the second time that evening, and Chad could no longer hide his smile. For the last hour or so, she'd chattered on and on about her plans. He took that as a definite appreciation for his gift. "Chad, this is the best Valentine's Day gift," she beamed at him. "Thank you." "You're welcome," he told her as he handed her a plate full of food, fixing his own plate and setting it down. "But it's not a Valentine's gift." Brown eyes full of confusion stared at him as he grinned nervously at her and felt around in his jacket pocket. "It's a different kind of present. One I hope you'll still accept when I." he paused, searching the area around the table when his search of both jacket pockets revealed no ring box. "Chad, are you okay? What's going on? Did you lose something? I can help you find it," Theresa offered helpfully, pushing her chair back and standing up. "Just tell me what I'm looking for." Chad stifled his groan as he met her sparkling brown eyes. He'd been so busy making sure everything else was perfect that he'd forgotten the most important item of all. "Sheridan," he breathed. The ring was probably still in her purse, and at that moment she and Luis were probably.There went his proposal. He couldn't exactly call her up when he was sure she'd be.busy. "Theresa, girl. Don't worry about it. It's nothing." That wasn't true. "I had something I wanted to give you, and I thought I had it with me in my jacket, but." Theresa took his leather jacket from his arms and slipped her hands in each pocket. "If it's another present for me, we HAVE to find it," she said, giggling at the amused expression on his face. "It might help if you told me what IT is." Chad chuckled and shook his head. "These lips are sealed. You'll just have to wait," he told her, taking a few steps away the table to scan the area around them in the off-chance it'd fallen out of his pocket. It was then he remembered. "Chad, did you check the little inside pocket. It might be." Theresa's voice trailed off as an object fell to the ground, and she knelt to pick it up, her brown eyes impossibly wide as her trembling fingers pried the lid of the tiny velvet box open to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. "Chad?" she whispered as she stood up slowly, and he gently took the box from her hands. "Theresa," he sighed as he took the ring from the box and held it between his fingers. "This isn't the romantic proposal I wanted to give you, the one that you deserve.but it IS me asking you the most important question of my life. What do you say? Theresa.will you marry me?" "Are you crazy, Chad?" Theresa whispered, her dark eyes sparkling with suspicious moisture as she stared up at him unblinkingly. And Chad held his breath as he witnessed the small beginnings of a radiant smile blossom on her lips and transform her entire face. "Yes. Yes!" she squealed happily, throwing her arms around his neck and nearly knocking him off-balance. He breathed a sigh of relief then smirked. He knew she was going to say 'YES' all along. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nick rubbed his aching jaw in surprise. He still couldn't believe she'd hit him. And from the look in her hazel eyes, she couldn't believe she'd hit him either. But that didn't stop her from trying to do it again. "Abby, what.what was that for?" he asked, holding up a defensive hand. "Other plans," she growled, focusing her anger back on the punching bag behind her. Nick made no move to touch her as she struck the bag repeatedly, slightly afraid of a repeat performance of a few minutes ago, despite the diminuative size of the woman in front of him. She packed a powerful punch. George was proof of that, and so was the dull throbbing in his lower jaw. "I can't tell which way is up with you. One minute you're kissing me back," she paused to land a vicious punch on the bag, and Nick winced. "The next you're pushing me away again and pretending that it didn't happen. Which is it, Nick?" she grunted as she landed a kick against the bag. Behind her, Nick's hands fell to the hem of his black sweater, sweeping it up and over his head and tossing it somewhere behind him. "Do you want me or not? 'Cause if you don't, I'd like to know so I can stop wasting my time on a man that is nothing but a sorry sack of sh." Abby's words died in her throat, and her vocal cords stopped working all together when Nick stepped around her, and she was met with a sight she'd drooled over many times.his sleek, muscled bare chest right before her eyes. The air held hostage in her lungs escaped her throat in a sob as she raised her hands to his chest and shoved him as hard as she could, sending them both tumbling to the exercise mat on the floor. "Please.please, don't." she pleaded weakly, bracing her hands on his shoulders as she pushed herself upright, her legs straddling his waist on either side. Something inside Nick broke at the echo of defeat so unusual in her voice, and his hand traveled up her arm, past her shoulder to rest a finger at her lips. Hazel eyes were locked in on his gray eyes as he slid his hand to the base of her skull and urged her mouth down to his. He could still feel her fighting him, resisting him as he planted feather-light kisses against her closed mouth, and he shifted beneath her, his left hand hooking behind her knee and gripping it tightly as the sensation of her lower body coming into direct contact with his groin threatened to overwhelm him. Abby gasped against his mouth, and he took that opportunity to plunder her open mouth. He had no doubt denial would never work in keeping her at arm's length again. He kissed her. Over and over again. From the mere whisper of lips brushing experimentally against each other to deep, wet kisses that couldn't bring him close enough to her as his hand cupped her head and pulled her into him. His heart was pounding in his chest, and his blood rushed through his veins as his hands touched everywhere they could reach. Her skin was hot against his fingertips as his hand swept beneath the sweatshirt she wore and rest on the tattoo he knew was there. He could almost see the sunburst design bursting in a brilliance of color behind his closed eyelids as she moaned into his mouth and broke away panting. Nick's labored breathing nearly spun out of control when she sat up astride him and tore the sweatshirt over her tawny head. His hands left her thighs, and he wrapped one arm around her slender waist, pulling her down to him so that he could taste the mole on the full underside of her right breast. Abby's breath rasped in her throat as Nick shifted beneath her again, and her knees pressed into the exercise mat as he sat up and his arms went around her back, cupping her shoulders as his mouth lavished kisses on her skin, from her chin to her sternum. Her arms cradled him close as he lingered at the valley between her breasts, just nuzzling her and breathing her in. He tightened his arms around her in a brief hug before releasing her just long enough to climb to his feet and gather her against him again. Abby's arms went around his neck and her heels hooked behind his back, and the gold in her hazel eyes almost took Nick's breath away as he tucked a loose strand of tawny hair behind her ear and carried her toward his bedroom. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "For all the Valentine's Days that come before," Sheridan murmured, smiling softly as she fingered the edges of another card. She dropped it back into the little wooden box and rest her palm against Luis's abdomen, tucking her golden head beneath his chin. "How did I ever get so lucky?" "Sometimes I wonder if Theresa's Fate actually exists," Luis answered her, making her smile grow even wider. "You.Mr. By the Book believing in fate and destiny and all that good stuff?" "You've taught me anything is possible," Luis laughed softly at her teasing tone. "Coming back to me that first Christmas. And after.when you came back to me and Ali the second time," he said, trailing his fingertips up and down her bare arm and clasping their hands together when their fingers met and entwined. His life was divided into two parts: before he knew her love and after he knew her love and loved her. Before he loved her, his life WAS by the book, and he didn't open his eyes long enough or wide enough to see all the beauty there was to see. He kept his life safe, bland, living on his duty instead of his dreams and love. Now, the after, his eyes were wide open, and he was living in a world filled with so much color, so many intense highs and lows, it overwhelmed him sometimes. But he wouldn't trade this life with all its uncertainties for a paint-by-number substitute. "Maybe it is." Sheridan hesitated to actually use the word 'fate,' "I don't know for sure if fate and destiny exist, Luis. But I do know," she paused, raising up and searching his beloved face with her blue eyes, "that whatever curve ball life throws at us, we're going to confront it together. I'll always come back to you, Luis, no matter who or what I have to fight to do it. If that's fate, count yourself a lucky man." Sheridan's hand raised to cup his jaw, and he pressed his cheek against her palm, smiling against her lips as they descended on his lips and his face. "Do you remember that first Valentine's Day?" he asked her as she stood between the open vee of his legs at the edge of their bed, and he slipped his fingers beneath the thin, silky ties at the back of her dress, pulling them free. "Like yesterday," she whispered, lifting her hands to her shoulders and sliding the straps down. Her hands rested against the muscular planes of his chest as he dropped kisses across the revealed golden skin of the swell of her breasts. "Luis.I want to touch you," she protested weakly as he removed her hands from his chest and lowered them to her sides. Her blue eyes glittered at him in the dark light as his big dark hands peeled the bodice of the dress down, over the gently swell of her stomach, and let the dress fall to pool around her feet. Happy tears slipped down her cheeks as his arms went around her waist, and he pressed his mouth against her belly, whispering to their baby. Her lips quirked up at the corners, and she smiled through her tears as she listened and heard what amounted to gibberish. Loving gibberish, but gibberish all the same. "Luis," she laughed, combing her fingers through his dark hair. "What are you telling her?" "Secrets between father and daughter," he answered back with a cute little grin, "but you were mentioned. She wanted me to tell you how beautiful she thought you looked tonight, all glowing and happy, and she wanted to say hi." "She told you all that?" Sheridan smirked as she traced his familiar features with her fingertips. "Tell her I said hi, too, and to ignore her daddy because he's being a silly dork right now," she teased, running her index finger along the tip of his nose then the tiny indented space above his upper lip. She threw her head back and laughed when Luis nipped playfully at the pad of her finger. "Okay.a sweet dork," she amended, smiling against his lips as he kissed her. "Or maybe," she gasped as she felt his hand move between her legs, touching her in teasing strokes as she clung to him for support, "not a dork at all. Damn you, Luis," she pouted with her kiss-swollen red lips. "You never did fight fair," she sighed as he lay her back against the pillows. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Abby's head hit the cold, solid surface of Nick's bedroom door with a thud, and Nick tore his lips from hers, his gray eyes shining with apology. "Abby, I." "I'm fine," Abby told him, moistening her upper lip with her tongue. She grinned as his groan reached her ears, combing her fingers through the dark hair at the nape of his neck and staring at him with hazel eyes that blazed with desire. She wrapped her arms more firmly around Nick's neck, flattening her soft breasts against his chest, and let her lips brush against his ear lobe as she spoke to him in a sultry whisper. "Ready to get bare-assed naked with me, Doctor?" Her mouth opened to release a throaty moan when she felt his hand grip her thigh and lift it higher on his waist and his hips undulated against hers. His voice was a low, sexy drawl as he pressed her body more firmly against the door with his own "Does that answer your question?" "I always did prefer the long, detailed answers of essay questions myself," Abby teased him breathlessly as he backed them toward his bed. Nick's gray eyes laughed at her as he turned them around with the first touch of the mattress against the back of his legs and let her body slide down his length onto the bed. "What does it take to render you speechless?" His laugh morphed into a groan when she rose on her knees, and he felt the heat of her mouth on his skin as she kissed, nibbled, and licked her way up his abdomen and chest. His hands delved into her tawny hair, carefully removing the pins that kept her French twist intact, and her silky hair tumbled to her shoulders, obscuring her face from his view as she responded to his question. "That actually hasn't been discovered yet, but give it your best shot." His gray eyes snapped shut when he felt her small, hot hands unbutton his jeans and struggle with the zipper. Abby shrieked with surprised laughter when he toppled her backwards, bracing himself above her with his forearms and nipping playfully at her chin. "Geez. I'm not your evening entrée. Biting's nice.IF you're a vampire," she teased, sweeping her hands across the corded muscles of his back and even digging her nails in as her hands reached his denim-covered ass, pulling him down and covering her body with his from head to toe. "I bet you can't shut me up," she challenged him with twinkling hazel eyes. "I'll take that bet," Nick grinned down at her, sweeping her hair back from her face before bending down and trailing his lips along her cheek and temple. It crossed his mind as his lips and hands touched and caressed her body that he'd been a stupid man to deny himself this for so long. The warm press of her back against his chest as he draped her arm around his neck and his hands and fingers learned the feel and texture of her skin as they fluttered over her ribcage, careful not to apply too much pressure to a wound that was fading but still visible. The soft weight of her breast in his palm as his lips and teeth found the pulse point at her throat, earning him a typically colorful remark from Abby. And the string of curses that left her throat in a strangled gasp as his hand skirted past the lacy rim of her crimson panties, teasing her, made him smirk in satisfaction. She was boneless and languid beneath his hands as they catalogued each dip and valley of her spine, and she shivered when she felt the wet stroke of his tongue tracing the outline of the sun tattoo on her lower back. Her abdominal muscles fluttered beneath his touch, and she arched beneath him when he flicked his tongue into her navel, her sweat-dampened tawny hair a disheveled halo on his midnight pillow. He discovered what made her squirm beneath his touch-the back of her knees, soles of her feet, and her hipbones were sensitive and ticklish, and she hummed in the back of her throat when his thumbs stroked the baby soft skin of her inner thighs, writhing and opening herself to him, frustration leading her to call him a "Bastard." He learned what made her sigh and cry out with pleasure, touching her in places she hadn't been sure existed before. And when he finally ended her torment, sinker deeper and deeper into her body as he lost himself in her gold-hazel eyes, their hands were clasped tightly, pressing into the down of the pillow on each side of her head. His lingering thought as he kissed the salty wetness away from the fringes of the pale lashes of the woman writhing beneath him in pleasure-pain and babbling nonsense.figuring out how to render Abby speechless was going to be VERY enjoyable. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Well, now I feel like a voyeur," the angel with wise brown eyes told the little blond angel beside her as the picture of two lovers so new sleeping in each others' arms in front of her started to fade and change into something else. Another place. Another set of lovers holding each other as they read through a box of Valentines. She.wearing his pristine dress shirt like so many years ago when they first found love. He.wearing the same adoring smile. The brown-eyed angel smiled, prying the little angel girl's hand from her young eyes. "We're back in the G-rated territory now. PG tops." A young couple basking in the happiness of their newfound commitment to each other. The diamond ring sparkling on her finger as her hands covered his around her waist, and they watched the lighthouse's beam cut across the horizon, the ocean whitecaps gleaming in the darkness. The exhilaration of a first kiss given and taken in the shadows as partygoers passed by, and the shy smiles exchanged between two young people very much in like. The pounding of two hearts as golden bands are exchanged in a ceremony so unexpected the bride's bouquet is a single yellow rose. "Unexpected? Old Man Crane is going to roll over in his grave," the angel muttered under her breath, peeking out of the corner of her brown eyes at her young friend who agreed with her. "Most unexpected." The comic pitfalls of one couple as they loved each other as only they could. The sweetness of young love as one little angel on earth listened to the lullaby tinkle forth from her cherished gift. The gift of a rose between old lovers, still young at heart. A dance shared in a dark hospital room while a little boy slept peacefully just feet away. And a smile sent from earth to Heaven above and bringing a tearful smile to the angel's own face. "We make a good team," she sniffled, wiping her tears away as she lay her arm across the shoulders of her young partner in 'crime.' "I think so," the little blond angel agreed. "But next year's going to be even better."  
  
Chapter 65  
  
Abby groaned, tucking the midnight-blue sheets under her arms as she scooted across the bed and scanned the darkened interior of Nick's bedroom for any article of clothing she could throw on to answer the front door. Instead of ceasing like she'd hoped and prayed for the last ten minutes, the knocking at the door had continued, increasing from light rapping to pounding. She had a fair idea who the culprit was too, and she wasn't opposed to kicking some big brother ass. The sheets trailed behind her like a wedding train as she scampered through the apartment, and she started to laugh somewhat bitterly at the ridiculous thought. Gray Eyes was nowhere to be found the morning after what she'd thought was a helluva night. Obviously, she was mistaken, she told herself as she yanked the front door open and glared at her smirking older brother. "Shane, get your ass in here and stop making that damned racket before I call the cops." "Good morning to you too, Runt," Shane said in reply, giving her appearance a none-too surprised look but wisely keeping his mouth shut. "Shane," Abby huffed as the sheets tangled around her legs, tripping her up and sending her stumbling into his welcoming arms. "What are you doing here? I thought you had to work." Shane's big hands combed Abby's golden tangle of hair back from her face, and he kissed her soundly on the forehead in belated greeting. "There are some advantages to your boss eloping in the middle of the night," Shane grinned. "I have the day off, and since the Book Café is closed, cheating me out of my usual morning cup of coffee." "Ethan and Beth." Abby whispered, a slow smile gradually taking over her face and transforming her earlier grumpy demeanor. "The girl's good. Much better than I'd given her credit for. You mean Ethan actually got married without his mother in attendance? Where the hell was Ivy? Ethan's the biggest Mama's boy." Shane chuckled, and Abby's mouth dropped open with one look at the guilty expression on his face. "Shane!" she gasped. "You and Ivy didn't.oh my God, my brother's sleeping with Ivy Crane." "We're not sleeping together-which is more than I can say for you and a certain doctor," Shane chided with a quick glance around the living room and the clothes strewn everywhere, "but we ARE seeing each other, and Ivy's offered to rent the old cottage to me so I can move out of the B & B." "SO convenient for a quick roll in the hay, don't you think?" Abby rolled her hazel eyes at her brother, stomping toward her bedroom and slamming the door in Shane's face for his earlier comment. "What is this?" Shane questioned, his own hazel eyes not missing the disaster area down the hall that used to be Nick's bedroom. The sheets from the bed were gone but not missing. He'd seen them himself just a few short seconds ago wrapped around Abby's torso. He didn't even want to dwell on what the good doctor and his willful wildcat of a little sister had been doing all night. His imagination was too vivid as it were. "Abby, I thought you were going to be smart and not do this again." "Again?" Abby responded indignantly, throwing her bedroom door open and startling Shane much more than he'd care to admit. "With Vincent I was young and stupid. With Nick.I'm older. And stupid," Abby admitted grudgingly. "I'm an adult, Shane. So is Nick. We can handle.this," she waved her hands around awkwardly, running forward to scoop up the clothes marking a trail to Nick's bedroom door. "You're doing it again, Runt," Shane softened his accusation by stalling her nervous movements with a firm, brotherly hand on her bare shoulder. "Doing what?" Abby played dumb, tugging at the hem of her baby blue tank with her hands before twirling the drawstring of her pajama pants around her index finger. "You're headed for trouble," Shane sighed in resignation, wrapping his arms around his little sister's shoulders and pulling her into him. "I want better for my baby sister than some guy who doesn't know what the hell he wants. You deserve better, Baby Girl, than someone who isn't man enough to face the morning WITH you." "Trouble?" Abby snorted against her brother's chest, her hazel eyes glittering and shining with unabashed affection as she raised her tawny head and looked Shane directly in the eye. There was a slight tremor in her voice as she answered him with unfaltering honesty and a hint of her trademark humor, "Hell. I left the 'Danger, Will Robinson' territory eons ago," she muttered, ignoring Shane's expression of concern. "Don't call me 'Baby Girl'," she told him sternly, standing on tiptoe to kiss his smooth cheek and making him smile. "Well.why the hell are you just standing around like a knot on a log? You know where I keep the coffee. While you're at it," she paused in the doorway to her own bedroom, "a sister so deserving deserves a four-star breakfast, don't you think?" Shane chuckled, shaking his head as the door closed behind her. Was he going to do her bidding? Of course. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Ethan!" Sheridan cried, wrapping her arms around her nephew's neck and squeezing hard. Ethan grinned at her exuberant reaction to seeing him. Sure it'd been a while since he'd stepped foot inside the home his aunt shared with Luis and her children, but it hadn't been THAT long. Sheridan's arms relaxed around him, and she drew back to flash him an affectionate smile. "Thank you for coming. I know it's early, but Luis is only going in to the station for half a day because of my appointment, and I didn't want him to." Sheridan's blue eyes widened in surprise when Beth stepped around Ethan, and the glint of gold on the other woman's finger caught her attention. "Ethan? Oh my God. Ethan!" Sheridan practically squeaked, fumbling for Ethan's hand and lifting it up for inspection. Her mouth dropped open in astonishment when she discovered a matching golden band on his finger. "You.you," she stammered, further broadening the grin on Ethan's face and the half-smile on Beth's lips. "Ethan, you idiot!" Sheridan growled, no longer dumbstruck. "You cheated us out of the wedding. Ivy must be furious." Ethan chuckled, gently pushing his pregnant aunt inside out of the cold, and Beth followed them, shutting the door behind her. "Mother'll get over it. Things were just so." "Sudden?" Sheridan offered, smiling apologetically at Beth to let her know she didn't blame her in the least bit and leading them both to the sofa. "Yes," Ethan tugged at his starched shirt collar uncomfortably. "But that doesn't mean.Aunt Sheridan," he sighed as he joined her on the couch and sent Miss Priss away, hissing in protest. "Ethan, don't be so silly. Just because I'm disappointed I wasn't invited," she pretended to pout, her blue eyes twinkling, "doesn't mean I think you and Beth getting married was a bad idea. I'm surprised but not completely shocked. Something's been going on between you two for months." Beth blushed slightly, and Sheridan almost had to laugh. She didn't know Beth Wallace blushed. "Mother swears there's going to be another wedding," Ethan revealed. "And she wants to plan the entire thing," Beth stated quietly, looking slightly pale at the proposition. 'Ivy's been waiting for this for YEARS," Sheridan gave the brunette a sympathetic smile. "It's always been obvious that Ethan's her favorite, and she spoils him." Ethan groaned at the playful wink Sheridan gave him. "Aunt Sheridan," he changed the subject, hoping to escape total mortification. Because if ever any person wanted to humiliate him within an inch of his life.all they had to do was talk with her or his mother. "Aunt Sheridan, you said you had something you wished for me to handle?" The easy smile left Sheridan's face, and Beth decided at that moment to venture into the kitchen for.something. "Aunt Sheridan?" Ethan's brows creased in worry as he grasped her hand with his own, "is something wrong?" "Wrong?" Sheridan shook her head slightly. "No, Ethan. No. Things are.fine. Nothing's wrong exactly. I just.Ethan, I want you to help me with something," she said softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Anything, Aunt Sheridan. You know I'll help you any way I can," Ethan told her with conviction, causing her to smile anew. "But I'm confused. If everything's okay, why do you seem so.why isn't Luis here for this?" "I didn't want to bother Luis with this, Ethan. You know how adamant he is about being the one to take care of all of us, and he takes the BEST care of Ali and Cristian and me. But Ali's medical bills are adding up, and with me on leave from the Youth Center...things are starting to get a little strained financially, Ethan. I don't want Luis to have any additional worries. Besides, he shouldn't have to leave Ali's side if it's not necessary." Ethan cut Sheridan's breathless explanation off with a reassuring hand to her shoulder. "You want to use money from your trust fund," he surmised with a quick nod of his head. "I'll handle it for you, Aunt Sheridan. But don't you think you should tell Luis? You've had your problems about all the privileges that come with your Crane name and the strings attached before, but this time I really think Luis will understand. It's not that big of a deal," Ethan said, shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe not to you, Ethan. This time it could actually be different with Luis, considering the circumstances," Sheridan sighed, offering her nephew a tight smile and pushing herself to her feet. She picked up the family picture of her, Luis, and the kids and traced their much-loved features. "With Luis, it's all about pride," she murmured, meeting Beth's dark eyes across the room and seeing the wholehearted agreement in them. "I'll tell him. But not yet, Ethan. It'll wait. Right now nothing's as important as getting Ali better, not letting Cristian forget how much I love him, and bringing this baby safely into this world," Sheridan told him earnestly. "I can't argue with that," Ethan whispered, standing up to give his aunt another hug. Beth watched them both, finding only one fault with their logic. The best intentions or not.Luis was NOT going to like being kept in the dark. 


	14. Chapter 66

Chapter 66  
  
"It's such a pretty ring, Aunt Theresa," Ali gushed as she nestled against Theresa's side, admiring the sparkling diamond. "It is, isn't it?" Theresa agreed, wrapping her arm more firmly around Ali's slim shoulders and hugging her to her side. Beside them, Cristian shifted in Chad's lap and eyed him with a frighteningly level gaze. "So you're finally going to make an honest woman out of her, huh?" he asked, repeating Luis's earlier semi- jokingly spoken words. Chad grinned and nodded his head at the little man looking at him so intensely. "Took me long enough, didn't it?" "Sure did," Cristian agreed somberly, moving his dangling feet restlessly as he heard the clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen. Theresa giggled at her nephew's anxious expression. She knew he was just dying to join Mama in the kitchen and help her with preparing lunch, but he was too polite to do anything about it. "Cristian, I'm sure Nana would LOVE your help in the kitchen," she told him, sharing a tickled smile with Ali when Cristian's face lit up with barely disguised pleasure, and he scooted off of Chad's knee and raced excitedly toward the kitchen, barely avoiding a head-on collision with Martin. Martin just chuckled, making his way across the living room to take a seat in one of the armchairs opposite the sofa the happy trio shared. "So." Martin cleared his throat, offering a smile of his own to his newly engaged daughter, "When's the big day?" Ali gazed expectantly up at Theresa's face with shining blue eyes. "I hope you don't take as long to have your wedding as Jake's mommy and Uncle Hank did. Jake was in school!" Chad chuckled at the realization that Ali in all her innocence had probably thought Gwen and Hank had spent years engaged, unknowing that marriage hadn't always been in the cards for the Bennetts. Or so they had thought. "Really?" Chad couldn't resist teasing her. "I kind of thought it'd be nice to wait a while. I think the day you graduate high school would be perfect," he said, winking at her and making her dissolve into infectious giggles. "Or," Theresa couldn't resist adding, "we could wait and have a double wedding with you and Ja-boyfriend, Ali." Ali giggled some more, crossing her arms across her middle in such a Sheridan-like pose Martin, Theresa, and Chad just had to smile. "Well, Ali?" Chad prodded. "When's our big day going to be?" "I don't know," Ali answered, rolling her blue eyes at them and quirking one golden brow in Theresa's direction. "I have to wait for my hair to come back before I can propose to Jake." The smile on Theresa's face froze as she zeroed in on only one part of Ali's comment, and she felt her heart grow heavy in her chest until Chad's ultimate reminder of the rest of Ali's statement. "I thought it was the guy's job to do the proposing, Miss Ali. Does Jake know you're planning to be the one to pop the question?" Ali's cheeks blushed prettily as she shook her head 'no' vigorously. "Mommy says I can do anything. I don't have to let boys do it for me." "Smart cookie your mom," Martin told his little granddaughter. Ali grinned in agreement, scooting off the sofa to take a place on her grandpa Martin's knee. Ali had long since joined Pilar and Cristian in the kitchen to help set the table for lunch when Martin broke the comfortable silence hovering in the little living room. "How much longer before I have to give my little girl away?" Theresa squeezed Chad's hand quickly before crossing the small distance that separated her and her father and taking up Ali's vacated spot on Martin's knee. "Papa," she smiled down at him, wrapping her arms firmly around his neck and kissing both cheeks, "you'll still have me for a while yet." Martin sighed softly as he brushed Theresa's long, dark hair back from her face, tucking a heavy strand behind her ear and letting his fingertips linger on her chin as he smiled in her eyes. "That's good to know, but why the wait?" Theresa met Chad's dark eyes across the living room, and Chad's answer was a simple word. "Ali." "You're waiting for her to get better," Martin shook his head at not realizing it sooner. "Ali's the star of all my girl's wedding plans, and we got to give Sheridan time to have that baby," Chad smirked, "Theresa's got plans for her too. And Cristian.poor little man." "Chad!" Theresa exclaimed, brown eyes flashing. "Theresa, girl.I don't know how you're going to convince MJ to wear a monkey suit either." Martin chuckled. None of his grandsons particularly liked the formal treatment, but if MJ held true to his past behavior.he would be nothing if not vocal about his displeasure. "Cristian and MJ and Joshua are going to look adorable," Theresa said. "Exactly," Chad answered her, making Martin's chuckles turn into full-blown laughter. "Papa," Theresa frowned down at him, loosening her hold around his neck. Chad grinned at Martin's increasingly red cheeks, leaning forward on the sofa and looking his fiancee in the eyes. "What do aunts and grandmothers and mothers do to adorable kids, girl? The kids' cheeks are going to be sore from all the pinching. Those boys would rather leave the adorable quotient out of it and look cool. Trust me on this, Theresa." Chad searched her dark eyes with his own hoping she hadn't taken his suggestions the wrong way. When Pilar announced it was time for lunch though, he sprang out of his seat and was the first one seated at the kitchen table, safely sandwiched between Ali and Cristian and out of harm's way just in case. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Sheridan," Grace greeted Sheridan with a warm hug, pulling back to smile into her blue eyes as she reached a slightly timid hand out to Sheridan's gently rounded belly. "How's she doing?" Grace questioned, gaining Sam and Luis's attention a few feet away. Luis gave Sam's hand one last firm shake and ventured to Sheridan's side, slipping a supportive arm around her waist. "Good," Sheridan answered her. "The doctor said she seems to be right on schedule, and she's going to continue to do fine as long as." "As long as what, Sheridan?" Sam inquired, a bit of worry creeping into the lines that had become more prominent around his eyes since Kay's death. "The doctor wants Sheridan to keep her stress level down so it won't affect hers or the baby's health," Luis told their concerned friends. "You have to listen to the doctor, Sheridan," Grace said softly, clasping Sheridan's hand in her own and giving it a gentle, strengthening squeeze. "If you need any help with Ali or Cristian, if you just need a little break, Sam or I would be more than happy to do what we can. Wouldn't we, Sam?" "Grace is right," Sam agreed, "don't take on more than you can handle." Sheridan laughed softly in embarrassment as she wiped at the tears pooling in the corners of her blue eyes. "Look at me. Getting all emotional already. Luis has months of this to look forward to," she muttered, smiling through her tears as she accepted Grace's embrace and Sam's kiss to her tear-streaked cheek. "It's hard right now, but I'm doing the best I can. Theresa has been wonderful with Cristian, and Pilar and Martin.and you too. I'm surrounded by the best friends and family I could have. That still floors me sometimes," Sheridan admitted shakily. Leaning back against Luis for support. "I'm sorry for getting all weepy on you. This isn't what we intended.Luis and I wanted to visit Joshua. Is Miguel in there with him?"  
  
  
  
Sheridan let Grace lead her inside Joshua's hospital room, and Luis remained in the hallway, not letting the chance to talk to his old boss and friend pass him by. "I don't know any other way to take the stress off of her except getting rid of Ali's cancer, and that's really out of my hands," Luis sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his tired features. Last night had been a wonderful respite from all their problems, a reconnection of sorts, but the dawning of a new morning had only reintroduced those problems to them both. "What about Ali's doctor? Dr. Taylor?" Sam inquired, his blue eyes showing more of the concern he'd hoped to hide completely from Sheridan earlier. "Taylor's doing everything he can," Luis released another sigh. "His plan is to get Ali into remission and go ahead with the transplant. Cristian's not a complete match, and lately Taylor's been making some noise about testing the baby." "Couldn't that be dangerous?" Sam asked, "For the baby?" "Everything has its risks, Sam," Luis stated, "You know I want my AliCat to have every chance, but we have Taylor pushing for the procedure, while Sheridan's ob-gyn seems reluctant to support it. I don't know what to do, Sam. I'd do anything to make sure Ali beats this cancer, but I don't know if I'm willing to go this far. I haven't held her in my arms yet, but I love this baby too. I want what's best for her, and I'm not 100% certain the test goes along with that whether the risks are big or small." "How does Sheridan feel about this?" Sam wondered, stepping closer to Luis when a nurse passed by them in the hall, wheeling a young boy in a wheelchair. The boy's blue eyes lingered on Luis's face until the nurse pushed him and the chair around the hall corner, and Luis turned to Sam with conflicted brown eyes once the child had disappeared. "I think she's disappointed because I'm not having the reaction she expected me to have. She wants to do it, and she thinks I'll change my mind. I don't know what to tell her because I don't know myself." "You'll see, Luis," Sam spoke softly, wondering silently how he could utter the words he was about to say when he still hadn't come to accept his own daughter's death. "Things are going to work out the way they're supposed to." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Jake, go inside and help your mom," Hank suggested when his ever curious, downright nosy young chip off the old block followed him and Noah into the garage. Jake's brown eyes narrowed as they scanned Noah's face, and he sounded downright chipper when he answered Hank. "Mom said she had all the help she needed in Emmy and Sara and Myles." Noah's silver-blue eyes twinkled at the exasperation in his uncle Hank's voice when he made another suggestion. "Take Gus out for his walk." Jake crossed his arms over his chest and shook his brown head stubbornly. "Are you trying to get rid of me, Dad?" "Yeah," Hank grinned, "but it's not working, is it? Look, Little Buddy. Noah has something he wants to talk to me about, and it's kind of personal so could you." "Geez," Jake muttered, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets and shuffling past them. "If you want a guy to scram, why don't you just say so?" "He's going to listen, isn't he?" Noah laughed. "Sorry, Noah," Hank gave his nephew's shoulder a firm squeeze, "but that's just the breaks. Little Buddy LOVES to eavesdrop. But he's not going to be hearing a thing this time," Hank grinned, producing a yellowed tablet of lined paper and one of Emily's pink markers. "Best I could do," he explained when Noah gave the pink marker a strange look. "So.what's the problem?" "I met this." Noah began, grinning when Hank cleared his throat. Very loudly. He took the offered pink marker from Hank's hands and quickly scrawled one word on the tablet. 'Katie.' He raised expectant silver-blue eyes to Hank's face and watched as Hank withdrew a blue pen that had clearly seen better days and scrawled 'Nice girl' below 'Katie.' Noah felt the insane urge to laugh when he wrote his next message on the pad. 'Date. 7 p.m. Tonight.' "Really?" Hank said, breaking their silence. "Good for you, Man. She's hot," he grinned, winking at Noah when they heard the hurried shuffle of sneakered feet executing an escape. Noah burst into laughter at the sound of the front door opening and slamming a few short seconds later. "What's the deal, Noah?" Hank studied the younger man openly. "Katie's nice and very pretty, and you're lucky enough to have a date with her. I don't see the problem." "The problem," Noah's laughter all but died down, "is that she has a two-year-old son." "So?" Hank shrugged his shoulders. "So she has a kid. So some loser was stupid enough to abandon his kid and its mother. Katie's not married, and this is just a date, right? I'm sure you'll have a good time." Noah sighed. What Uncle Hank said was true, but.kids complicated things. He really liked Katie, and from what he could tell last night, she really liked him. Supposing they were able to get something going.breaking up with a woman that he really cared about was hard enough, but breaking up with the mother of a kid he'd formed an attachment to was even more difficult. Experience had taught him a few things. "I'll just tell her I don't want to meet Kendall." Hank combed his hands through his messy brown hair then shook his head. "You can't do that. You'll be over from the word 'go.' Be open to meeting the kid. But only after you've dated for a while." Noah raised surprised silver-blue eyes to his uncle's face. "A while? You really think we'll make it past the first date, Uncle Hank?" Hank grinned, reaching up to grip Noah's shoulder firmly. "I've known Katie through Ali for a few months now. If you're not in love with her before the night is over, the second date will convince you," Hank winked, letting go of Noah's shoulder and turning to go back inside through the kitchen. The front door was only used by eavesdroppers like his pride and joy. "This from the man that's fallen a little bit in love with every woman he's ever laid eyes on," Noah declared as Hank paused in the doorway, not even bothering to deny the accusation. "Tell Myles we're going home. I have a date with a very pretty lady tonight, and I want to make a good second impression." Hank chuckled, muttering as he walked inside the door, "She had you from hello." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Joshua's plastic truck fell off the edge of his hospital bed, rolling to a stop a few feet away, and one look at the little boy's face had Simone smiling. When Joshua closed his gaping mouth and smiled back at her, Simone dropped the toy truck she'd retrieved into the armchair beside the bed and gathered the sweet-smelling little boy into her arms for a hug. "He likes you." "Joshua likes everyone, Jessica," Simone laughed, kissing the crown of Joshua's dark head, "but he LOVES you and Grace." "We love him," Jessica smiled tenderly as she took a seat on the side opposite Simone on Joshua's other side, and her little nephew looked back and forth at each of them for several seconds, finally deciding to snuggle close to her side. "I just hate to leave him," she lamented, tears collecting in her blue eyes as she glanced at Simone over the top of Joshua's head. "You're really doing it. You're going home," Simone sighed, picking at invisible balls of lint on the blue hospital blanket beneath her. "Not home," Jessica corrected. "THIS is home. Myles and I just need to see Faith and Reese. Hearing their voices on the telephone isn't the same thing." Simone nodded, stroking a gentle hand down Joshua's back as his breathing started to slow and even out, and he slumped against Jessica drowsily. She slid off the side of the bed to help Jessica maneuver the little boy underneath the covers without waking him up completely, and Jessica spoke in hushed whispers. "Reese wants to let Faith finish out the school year, and then we're going to make a decision about moving back to Harmony permanently or not. Myles loves it here, and since Kay.since she.well, the miles between Chicago and Harmony seem like an eternity now. I don't think I can go back to weekly phone calls and emails when I could have the real, live, breathing people in front of me." Simone's voice was brimming with understanding when she revealed she was thinking about making the move as well, and the two young women continued to talk and relate to each other as they waited for Miguel and MJ to return. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Thanks, Shane, for trying. Really. But you can go home now. Wherever home is," Abby's babbling finally halted when she paused long enough to frown in slight confusion. "Just go," she rolled her hazel eyes as Shane pulled her close for one last bear hug. "Geez. What's with the grabby hands today? I'm not going to fall apart just because the man.oh.my.God." Shane grinned as he pushed his little sister inside her apartment. He had to admit.the place had undergone quite a transformation in the few short hours he'd kept Abby occupied. "Who the hell," Abby growled, "turned my apartment into friggin' Gilligan's Island?" A palm tree? She blinked twice. Yeah. It was still there behind two lawn chairs set up in the middle of her living room. "Shane? Shane!? Where do you think you're going? Shane!" Abby rubbed her nose gingerly, grateful at least her collision with the front door hadn't resulted in a broken nose. "Dammit, it's sweltering in here," she grumbled, peeling her suede jacket off of her shoulders and draping it across the sofa. Her boots ended up somewhere between the kitchen and her bedroom door, and she was already in bare feet when she discovered the tiny black bikini. Who knew Gray Eyes was mental? The interior of their usually comfortable apartment felt like 100 degrees. She had news for his rude, 'love 'em and leave 'em' ass-though, at this point, she didn't dare own up to the night before being more than just incredible sex. He was going to be the one footing THIS electricity bill, and that wasn't going to be the only thing the man got chewed out about, she told herself as she stripped the rest of her winter clothes off and donned the bikini. Of course, those were her intentions. Until she saw the man slouched against her doorjamb, eyeing her with predatory gray eyes. Hell, Abby thought as a delicious shiver traveled up her spine. She could chew the bastard out later. After he got his requisite mauling. She had a license to do that now. "I've suffered through more than my share of pitiful apologies from men, but this one.I can safely say no man's ever transformed my entire apartment into a fake tropical paradise before. Just tell me Ginger's not going to be popping out from that damn palm tree in there," Abby nodded her head in the direction of the living room as she approached Nick, letting her hazel eyes linger on his wonderfully bare chest, "I hear she's a real bitch. I think I kind of have a right to give her a real run for her money after this morning, don't you? What do you have to say for yourself?" Great. Just great, Abby thought silently, willing her heart to quit racing inside her chest when she felt his warm palm cup her cheek, and his gray eyes drawing her in so deep she was ready to scream out for a lifesaver. "You're right. I don't even really deserve the benefit of the doubt, but I do want to say I'm sorry for not being here.last night was." Abby sighed against Nick's warm, persuasive mouth, melting against him and hanging on for dear life. "Last night was more than just one night, Abby," Nick whispered softly, smiling into Abby's confused hazel eyes. "I'm sorry if I gave you that impression, and I wanted to show you that I want more than just to share my bed with you. I want to get to know as much as I can about you. What you like, what you don't like, what makes you laugh out loud, and what makes you cry. Because you're unlike anyone I've ever met, Abby Stone, and I like that." "So does that mean you like me?" Abby couldn't resist teasing. "And what? You want to date me? Like real dates? What's this then? I've never seen anything like it," she babbled, ducking beneath his outstretched arm and surveying her strange living room. "You're a tough cookie," Nick answered, looking a bit sheepish as his gray eyes roamed their surroundings again. "Shane told me the tropics were your favorite place. I can't give you the tropics," Nick smirked as he draped a lei that'd magically appeared in his hand around her neck and picked up a couple of pina coladas and handed her one, "but I can give you a fairly good imitation. Since I like you so much. You have to admit.this is a really good ice breaker." "Yeah," Abby snorted, "It's hard to be pissed at a man so willing to make a dumbass of himself. Thank you. I thought I'd already gotten the big kiss-off," she muttered, rolling her hazel eyes in embarrassment. "I may be a jerk, but I'm not that big of a jerk," Nick assured her with another devastating smile sent her way. It turned out two lawn chairs weren't needed, and the pina coladas were traded in for something a little less.tame. Abby's bikini top hung like a Christmas decoration from the lamp across the room, and Nick didn't have a clue where the rest of her suit had ended up. All he knew for certain was the tequila tasted better on her lips and tongue than it tasted in the shot glass, and Abby's skin smelled of rich suntan oil and sweat. He twirled a long strand of tawny hair around his index finger, his breath coming in short labored pants as she kissed a path down his torso, and his hands clenched in her silky hair in surprise when he felt the wet sensation of her tongue on his hipbone. He kissed her almost apologetically, afraid again of hurting her, as she enveloped him with her heat, and his big hands settled on her hips, guiding her movement as he watched her hazel eyes change to gold above him. He pulled her warm, sated body over him like a blanket, combing her sweaty tawny hair back from the nape of her neck as he sprawled back in the padded lawn chair. The knowledge that Abby's feet barely reached his calves had him smiling tenderly, and his smile turned into a grin when she smacked him soundly in the chest for 'mentally making fun' of her size. He clasped her smaller hand in his, placing it over his slowly recovering heart while he asked her questions. Silly questions. Important questions. Questions off the top of his head. Questions that had her shaking her disheveled tawny head in laughter as she kissed him lightly on the lips. He was still wondering about her tattoo when he felt her relax totally against him. Boneless and dead to the world. Finally speechless although it didn't exactly count. But that was a question for another day.  
  
Chapter 67  
  
  
  
"Tink! Hold up. Where do you think you're going?" Abby whirled around at the familiar teasing voice, rolling her hazel eyes at Hank as he jogged the few feet that stretched between them in the hospital hall. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Mom," Abby cracked, propping her right hand on her hip and shaking her tawny head when Hank arrived at her side, slightly winded. "Took you long enough. You really need to get out more, Bennett. Exercise," she told him with an impish grin, catching him off-guard with a pinch to his denim-encased ass. Hank's brown eyes sparkled like a naughty young boy's as he slipped his arm around Abby's slim waist and tugged her against his side, pressing his lips to the crown of her head as he whispered to her. "Careful. You don't want to start any more rumors, do you?" "Rumors?" Abby asked, one tawny brow arching in question, "What kind of rumors?" "You know," Hank's voice rose to a pitch just loud enough for the gaggle of gossiping nurses walking by to hear. "Gwen's going to divorce me and sue for custody of the kids when she finds out we're sleeping together behind her back." Abby groaned when the audible gasps of a couple of the nosy women reached her ears. "Dammit, Hank. You let the cat out of the bag, and Ellie's going to make sure the news is known nationwide just in time for the evening edition." Hank grinned at her wink, letting his arm fall away from her waist as they neared the cafeteria. He placed his tray beside hers as they made their way down the lunch line, and soon, they were both seated at a table tucked, amazingly enough, in a quiet corner. "Geez. Lunch at the cafeteria is hardly a party, but crashing it, Hank? Is life really such a bore that you have to make your own fun?" Abby's hazel eyes twinkled at the man sitting across from her as she took a sip from her glass of water. "Don't you know it, Lady?" Hank smirked. "You are the party." "Don't flatter me," Abby snorted, picking up her fork and pushing it back and forth through her salad. "Seriously, Hank. If there's something you want to say to me, just spit it out." The smirk on Hank's face disappeared, replaced by an expression of concern, and Abby sighed as she lay her fork down beside her plate. "How's your first week back at work going?" Hank hedged, ""No more problems, I hope." "Nope. No more psychos like George," Abby told him breezily, crossing her arms across her chest and waiting for him to just say what was on his mind. "What other rumors have you heard, Hank? Come on. You must have heard some good ones. There's that one about me and Luis, but that's an oldie. You already mentioned the one about me and you. Apparently, I'm after every man I make eye contact with. Oh yeah.the one about me f---ing the good doctor in my office during my lunch break a couple days ago." "Abby," Hank lay a calming hand on her arm, glancing around and glaring at the owner of a particularly prying pair of pale eyes a couple of tables away. "I'm sorry. I just.dammit, Tink. Use your head. Don't set yourself up for." "Save me the lecture, Hank," Abby muttered, wadding her napkin up inside her palm. "People talk about people and things they don't understand because they have nothing better to do. I don't really give a damn. Ask me, Hank. No? I'll answer you anyway. No, Nick and I didn't do 'it' in my office. Have we done 'it'? That's actually nobody's business but mine and the man himself. What is with everybody? Thinking I need saved from Nick? He's not the devil incarnate. If he decides tomorrow that being with me is a mistake, I'll say it was fun while it lasted," Abby shrugged, dropping the wadded napkin into her plate and pushing the plate away, her appetite seemingly gone. And her courage to look him in the eyes, Hank thought as he watched her stir her straw through her ice water, making the ice clink against the sides of the glass. Hank grabbed his own napkin to help her clean up the mess when water sloshed over the sides of the glass. "As long as he treats you right, I won't have a problem with the man," Hank muttered lowly, his brown eyes picking out the man himself slowly making his way toward their table. "How sweet and heroic of you," Abby murmured sarcastically, a small smile back on her lips as she lifted her eyes back to his face, "I'll tell you if he pisses me off, and we can both kick his ass. You'll need help." Not as much as you, Hank thought as he watched her hazel eyes light up on sight of Nick as he paused beside their table. Hank honestly didn't think she realized that, day by day, a little bit more of her heart shone through her eyes. Taylor had to be blind not to see it himself, Hank thought, not appeased in the least at the affection evident in the other man's gaze. Taylor was playing to a tough crowd, and it simply wasn't enough. "Hank, where are you going?" Abby asked, tearing her eyes away from Nick when she heard the scrape of Hank's chair against the cafeteria tiles. Hank picked up his jacket from the back of the chair and draped it over his arm. "Joshua should have his stitches removed by now. If I hurry, I can get MJ back to school before lunch is over," Hank explained. "That kid refuses to miss anything, but his teacher's being pretty lenient considering what's happened. Besides.it's just the first grade," Hank grinned. "It's not like he's going to miss his college entrance exam." "What about reading?" Nick joked. "Are you kidding? Kay and Abby had MJ reading before kindergarten. Tell me, Tink.did you have to throw out ALL your favorite trashy romance novels?" Hank couldn't resist one final teasing jab as he squeezed Abby's shoulder in passing. "Dr. Seuss," Abby laughed, shaking her tawny head in amusement. "MJ was insulted by the simplicity of the 'Cat in the Hat'. No trashy novels to be found, although he DID find the copy of the 'Kama Sutra' Kay gave me as a joke one time. Kay wouldn't take MJ anywhere near Grace or Pilar for a week, hoping he'd forget all about it and not ask questions." "Did it work?" Nick inquired, his gray eyes twinkling at her as they swept over the features of her face, and he decided she was more than just very pretty. Especially when an embarrassed blush stole over her cheeks at the memory. "No! That kid has the memory of an elephant. I couldn't look Pilar in the eyes for months, and whenever Grace Bennett saw me, she'd turn as red as one of those tomato soup cakes of hers." Nick laughed, a perfect image in his mind of the occurrences. "I don't know why it bothered her so much. It wasn't like I ever got any use out of the damned book," Abby grimaced before the words were completely out of her mouth. Pathetic much, her annoying inner voice wheedled. Nick decided to let this opportunity to tease her pass, reaching his hands out and clearing her plate away. "What are you doing?" Abby frowned as he got up and started walking toward the front of the cafeteria to dispose of her garbage. She let him help her with her suede jacket, and her hazel eyes searched his face as his hand went to the small of her back, gently leading her out into the hall. "I checked your schedule. Your next appointment's not for another couple of hours, and I'm free the rest of the afternoon." "A couple of hours?" Abby's forehead wrinkled in confusion, "I have Mr. Homan right after lunch." "Not anymore," Nick told her as they walked through the hall, side by side, "His son-in-law called and canceled it for him." "That ass," Abby muttered, hazel eyes bright with anger. "He has a problem with me.fine. But Mr. Homan shouldn't miss his therapy. He's still recovering from a stroke." "Problem?" Nick wondered aloud. "Yeah," Abby grumbled. "Apparently, I'm almost a dead ringer for his dead wife. Mr. Homan's daughter," she elaborated unnecessarily, "and it pisses the jerk off so much that he can hardly act civil around me. He says I'm feeding into Mr. Homan's illusions that Kathy's still alive. He didn't take too kindly to me telling him to go to hell either." "I imagine not," Nick smirked, steering her toward the nearest exit. "And where are we going, Mister?" Abby smiled up at him as they stepped outside, shivering lightly as she felt the chill of the late February air wrap itself around her body in a ghostly embrace. "I don't know," Nick answered softly, allowing himself to act on his impulse and wrap his arms around her to share his warmth, "but does it matter?" "No," Abby murmured just as softly, snaking her arms around his neck and tucking her tawny head beneath his chin. "I don't guess it does." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I don't get it, Uncle Hank," MJ grumbled. "Why can't Joshua hear yet?' Hank gripped his nephew's shoulders firmly as they left Miguel and the others farther and farther behind. "His implants have to be activated, MJ. They haven't been turned on yet, but as soon as they are, your brother will hear you and your dad. Things might be a little strange and scary for him at first though so you have to be real patient. Do you think you can do that?" MJ nodded his head with only a little hesitation. He knew he wasn't perfect. It was going to be hard, but he'd try his best to make things easier for his little brother. He had so much he wanted to say to Joshua, but most of all, he just wanted the chance to talk to him about their mom. He missed her, and he could tell Joshua missed her just as much. "Uncle Hank?" "Yeah?" Hank said, stalling his movements at the note of seriousness in MJ's tone. "Will it be okay to talk to him about Mom? Sometimes I can't remember the sound of her voice, and her face gets a little fuzzy. I think I'd remember her better if I talked about her, and I don't want Joshua to forget her either. He's littler." Hank swallowed hard and spoke from his heart, rationalizing to himself that no matter how much it still might hurt, Miguel wouldn't want to deny his children the comfort of Kay's memory. "Sure. I don't see why not. But you have to remember, MJ.your brother IS younger. And he doesn't really understand that your mom isn't coming back." "Ever," MJ finished for him solemnly. "I know, Uncle Hank. I know Mom's never coming back," MJ whispered sadly. "Do you think Dad would mind?" "I don't think he'll mind," Hank reassured the little boy as they resumed walking through the hospital halls, passing through the children's oncology ward and literally running into. "Uncle Hank!" Noah exclaimed in surprise. "Did they already do it? Oh MJ," Noah apologized, contrition in his silver-blue eyes as he knelt at MJ's feet. "I was on my way, and I." "It's okay, Uncle Noah," MJ said, grinning up into Katie's pretty green eyes. "I know exactly why you were late." Katie's teeth released their tenacious hold on her bottom lip, and a moment later, all three 'men' found themselves returning her sweet smile. "You know, huh?" Noah chuckled, glancing at Katie out of the corner of his eyes. "You were asking Katie on another date," MJ retorted matter-of-factly, his dark eyes sparkling mischievously as he added, "so you can kiss her." Hank ruffled MJ's short dark hair proudly. "Bennett bluntness," he offered by way of explanation to Katie, whose cheeks looked to go up in flames any moment. Noah looked like he'd swallowed his own tongue. Hank pondered which one of them was in more imminent danger of running out of oxygen and decided family loyalty would have to win out. Katie didn't exactly look horrified at the prospect of kissing his nephew, but in order for that to happen, Noah would have to still be around. Which meant suffocation was out of the question. He was about to ask Noah if he was okay, but MJ, bless his little soul, took over. "He wanted to kiss you after the first date," MJ told Katie with a rascally grin sent Noah's way, "but he wasn't sure you'd like that too much. I don't know why he didn't kiss you on the second date though. I think he should kiss you on the third date because three strikes." "MJ, where'd you come up with all this stuff?" Noah laughed nervously. "Uncle Hank.don't you think you should be getting him back to school?" What the hell, Hank thought, taking pity on his nephew. He'd been in Noah's shoes before. Still.it would have been fun watching Noah squirm his way out of a sticky situation. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ali tiptoed into kitchen as quietly as a mouse, and when she lay her small hand on Luis's shoulder, he almost jumped out of his skin. "AliCat, I didn't hear you coming. Were you trying to sneak up on me?" Ali giggled softly as her daddy gathered her in his arms, scooting his chair back and settling her on his lap. She rest her head on his shoulder, and Luis rubbed his fingers over the silky pink material covering it. Luis sighed deeply as he slid his hands beneath her knees and pulled her even tighter against him, marveling at the fact that such a frail body could house such a strong spirit. "What is it, Baby? Something bothering you? Don't feel good?" "I'm okay, Daddy," Ali whispered in answer, tracing her little fingertips over the row of buttons lining his neat white shirt. "Something's bothering my AliCat. I can tell," Luis murmured against Ali's worry-lined forehead. "Come on. You can tell Daddy anything."  
  
"It's just." Ali began, her button nose scrunching up as she paused to tickle pale pink-tipped nails over the lines of Luis's big warm palm. "Daddy?" "Yes, Baby," Luis replied, waiting patiently for her to let it out in her own time. "Are you and Mommy mad at each other?" "Ali," Luis drew back in surprise, "what makes you think such a thing?" "It's just.you and Mommy haven't smiled at each other lately, and the only time that happens is when you're mad at each other," Ali told him, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as he lifted her chin with his index finger and smiled reassuringly into her enormous blue eyes. They were shimmering with unshed tears, Luis realized with regret. He cupped her sweet face in his hands and nuzzled her nose with his until he was rewarded with the welcome music of her laughter. "I'm not mad at your mommy, and she's not mad at me," he said, knowing in his heart that his words were true. "We just have a lot to think about." Satisfied with his answer, Ali twined her arms around his neck, pressing her nose against the crook of his neck, "I'm glad." Luis tucked his sleeping angel under a mound of colorful blankets on the couch, and Cristian's dark eyes watched over her solemnly as he crawled onto the couch beside her and stroked his tiny fingers down her soft cheek. Luis ran an affectionate hand over his son's dark head. "Watch over her for me?" "I will, Daddy," Cristian vowed, and Luis knew him to be true to his word. He could barely hear the muted sounds of Cristian's cartoons as he stepped inside his and Sheridan's darkened bedroom, and when the door closed behind him with a soft snick, the only sound he could hear was the lowered whispers of his wife's voice. ".thanks, Ethan. I'll get in touch with you later. Say hi to Beth for me." Luis heard a beep signaling the phone call had been disconnected, and a moment later, the shadows in the room were chased away when Sheridan reached up to turn the lamp beside her on. "I don't know if I'll ever get used to that," Luis stated, not bothering to clarify what. He didn't have to. Sheridan knew him well enough to KNOW what. "They seem happy," Sheridan sighed, propping herself up against the headboard with a pillow. "Luis.you obviously wanted to talk to me or you wouldn't have come in here. What is it? Have you changed your mind about the test?" Luis covered her hand with his own, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Ali's hands. Sheridan's hands were Ali's hands. He raised conflicted brown eyes to her lovely face, and he had to look away, swallowing the hard lump of emotion that rose up in his throat, when he saw his beloved daughter's eyes staring back at him from Sheridan's face. It hurt, physically hurt, not to be able to give her the answer she needed so badly, but something he couldn't quite recognize yet in his own heart was holding him back. "I can.I can't," he whispered harshly. "Maybe it's the coward's way out, but I can't play the odds with our daughter's life like that, Sheridan. I just can't. We'll find another way." No, Ali, he thought as he watched the tears of frustration spill down his wife's cheeks, and he saw grudging understanding reflected in her blue eyes. Mommy and Daddy aren't mad at each other. They're mad at the world right now.  
  
Chapter 68  
  
"Mmm," Abby sighed deeply as she felt the warmth of Nick's lips sweep across the nape of her neck. She smiled without opening her eyes as she felt his fingers dance down her bare arm, clasping the hand that rest on the pillow beside her tawny head. She turned her head on the pillow, and Nick's lips left her shoulder, trailing kisses along her jaw and across her cheek. "Good morning," he whispered, placing a fleeting kiss to the corner of her smiling mouth. "Sleep well?" Before Abby's hazel eyes were fully open, they were rolling at his comment. "You know damn well I didn't." Nick chuckled softly, dropping another kiss on her lightly tanned shoulder before releasing his grip on her hand. "YOU kept me up all night, and now you're waking me up at what? Four in the friggin' morning?" Abby grumbled, her complaint turning a bit breathless when Nick's missing hand turned up again at her breast. "It's five," Nick corrected her, "and I didn't hear any complaints from you last night." Abby groaned at the teasing quality of his voice and his maddeningly capable hands, and her protest was half- hearted at best when she reminded him of their aborted date the night before. One in a long string of aborted dates. All their 'dates' thus far had ended up in the bedroom-in his bed-before they ever really got started. In the short month or so they'd been 'dating,' Abby's bedroom had virtually been turned into a gigantic walk-in closet for all the use she got out of it. Not that she was complaining about any of it. They were more than compatible in the bedroom, and she liked his room better anyway, she thought distractedly as Nick wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest, tangling their legs together. His hand rested against her hip lazily as they moved together, and his mouth hovered close to her ear, lips brushing her lobe as he whispered to her in low, ragged tones. He wrapped his arms around her tightly like a human blanket, nuzzling the sweet-swelling skin behind her ear with his nose as their breathing calmed, and sleep dragged them under again. "I smell like you," Nick faked a grimace, letting his arm fall back to his side as he watched Abby squirt a generous amount of shaving cream into her palms. "It's your fault you're wearing me like a cheap cologne," Abby muttered, stepping into the vee of his legs and applying the glob of shaving cream to his face. "I don't recall inviting you to share my shower this morning," she said, wiping her hands off on the towel draped across the edge of the sink and picking up Nick's razor. Nick placed his hands on either side of her hips, matching Abby's expression of extreme concentration with an intense look of his own. Her hands on his face were gentle, and her eyes sparkled with flecks of gold as she scraped the razor across his strong jaw. Nick's hands slid lower, sweeping across the black satin bikini panties she wore as he nudged her closer to him and just breathed in her scent. "You smell like vanilla," he sighed, his hands spanning almost the entire width of her narrow waist. "So do you," Abby teased, dipping the razor in the glass on the sink and returning it to his face. The half-smile already on Nick's lips broadened with her words, and he winced when he felt the sharp blade of the razor nick his skin. "Stop smiling, dammit," Abby grumbled, the corners of her own mouth turning upward traitorously even as the command left her throat. "Sorry," Nick lied, rubbing at the tiny cut gingerly. "I can't seem to help myself." "I'll kiss it and make it better if you want," Abby offered cheekily, combing her fingers through the lock of thick dark hair that fell boyishly across his forehead. "You will?" Nick asked hopefully in as innocent a voice as he could muster, pulling her down onto his knee. Abby nodded her tawny head with a smirk as she snaked her arms around his neck. She laughed against his mouth when he turned his cheek at the last possible moment and captured her lips in a sweet, lingering kiss. "How did I know you were going to do that?" Abby could feel his gray gaze on her as she slowly pulled the side zipper of her black pants up her hips, and she shot him a flirty smile over her shoulder, wiggling her tawny brows suggestively before grabbing her hunter- green cowl neck sweater and sweeping it over her head. Renegade strands of tawny hair curled at the nape of her neck having escaped from her haphazardly arranged French twist, and Nick resisted the urge to press his lips again to the mole that marked the delicate skin of her neck. He watched the muscles of her throat work as she drank from the glass of orange juice he'd presented to her as soon as they'd entered the kitchen, and he frowned at her refusal of his offer to make them both breakfast. "I'll grab something between clients," Abby reassured him with smile. "I promised MJ I'd be there when Joshua's implants were activated, and I'm going to be late all because of somebody," she teased. "Come with me?" she suggested. "It's not really my place," Nick deflected her suggestion, "I'm not family." "Gee, what a stupid thing to say," Abby snorted. "I'm not family either, but I'm going. They're friends. You don't have to remain an outsider, you know. Come with me," she reiterated. "The boys like you. Kay would want you there if she." Nick hated the longing that made her hazel eyes bright with sudden, unshed tears, and he touched the pad of his thumb to her chin and brushed his lips against hers in gentle comfort. "Maybe. I need to check up on Ali first. She really should be in the hospital." "Hey," Abby defended, "would YOU want to celebrate your 9th birthday in the hospital? Just a couple more days won't hurt," she said, trying to sound convincing. "Sheridan and Luis are completely aware of the situation. They'll check Ali in the hospital for her chemo. AFTER the party. You're invited so you can keep a check on her yourself. Let her have her party. This one's special." "Okay," Nick sighed reluctantly, "but." "No but's," Abby shook her tawny head, tugging him across the apartment insistently. "Get your jacket on. You're coming with me." "Abby," Nick protested half- heartedly, already realizing the futility of his objections. These days, it seemed, where she led, he followed. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"He likes her you know," Sam whispered to Grace with a small, pleased smile sent in his son's direction. Grace lifted her blue eyes from their study of hers and Sam's joined hands, and a genuine smile transformed her features from their somber, lost expression, reminding Sam again of the woman he'd married and loved for so many years. "I like her too," Grace said softly, leaning her auburn head against her husband's strong shoulder and releasing a shaky pent-up breath. "I think Kay would give Katie her stamp of approval," another voice, just as soft, added. "Jessica," Grace cried, wrapping her arms around her daughter's shoulders, "I didn't think you were going to make it. And you have Myles and Faith with you." Jessica gently prodded her children forward, smiling as she watched them hug their grandparents. "They wanted to be here for their cousin and to wish Ali a happy birthday," she explained, taking the empty seat beside her mother. "Mom, where's MJ?" "He's in the room with Miguel and Joshua," Sam answered for Grace, quickly returning his attention to his young granddaughter. Though there was little physical resemblance between the two, he couldn't help but feel he was holding onto a part of his daughter's soul with Faith in his arms. He couldn't explain it. "Grandpa, what is it?" Faith wondered, confused when her grandfather simply wrapped his arms more tightly around her and held her close to his heart with tears in his eyes. "Dad," Sara whined plaintively as she stared up at her father, "I want M & M's. You promised you'd buy them. Emmy got Pop-Tarts." Hank sighed as he glanced at his other daughter, the sweet, easygoing one currently enjoying Noah and Katie's company across the crowded little room. He knew that one would come back to bite him in the ass, dammit. "Sar," Hank tried one more time to talk some sense into her, "what would Mom say if she knew I'd given you M & M's for breakfast? Ask Emmy for one of her Pop-Tarts. They're better for you." Sara's nose scrunched up in disgust as she crossed her arms over her little chest and glared at him. "Dad," Sara rolled her brown eyes at him, a maneuver Hank could swear the kid had perfected just moments after birth. "You're just saying that, and I know it." "M & M's AFTER I take you for breakfast in the cafeteria," Hank said, laying his last cards on the table. He wondered if any other fathers had to actually NEGOTIATE with their children or was he the only one. Sara's chin jutted out stubbornly at his pathetic efforts, and Hank had a moment's thought that maybe in their years of friendship, Gwen and Sheridan had rubbed off on each other. If he didn't know any better, that pose was classic Sheridan Crane from the days when she'd just as soon claw Luis's eyes out as speak to him in a civil tongue. Oh dear God, NO! How the HELL had Sara picked up on it? "Convince Noah to take you and your sister to the Book Café. Tell him it's on me." "Yeah right," Sara grumbled as she trudged away in what could only be described as a snit. "Like that'll work." Sarcasm? My five- year-old daughter is sarcastic, Hank thought with a groan as Tink and her much-talked about Dr. Nick made their appearance, seating themselves beside Simone and a whole gang of Lopez-Fitzgeralds. Minus Sheridan and the kids, of course. Hell. Were those two glued at the hip lately or what? Cash, he thought distractedly, digging around in his back jeans pocket for his wallet. If he gave Noah enough cash, he'd take the girls to Tahiti for breakfast. Something told him he should have let Becs take the kids again. It might have saved the meager contents of his wallet. Waiting and patience weren't his strong suits, he realized as Grace's sudden gasp drew his attention to the television mounted in the corner of the room, and three very familiar figures. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Anticipation had MJ's throat dry and his palms sweaty as they clutched his dad's hand and waited as the doctor fitted his little brother with the machine that would make him hear. A thousand thoughts zipped through MJ's young mind, but foremost, was what would be the first thing he'd say to Joshua? He'd had the whole morning to think about that question, while Joshua had his X-ray and the doctor explained about his implants and the machine to his dad. He'd tried to pay attention, but he couldn't help it. He was the big brother, his dad had said. The one Joshua looked up to and loved the most. So his voice was going to be the first one Joshua heard. It had to be something cool. Something important. Something a big brother would say to their little brother, and MJ didn't have a clue because in the entire time he'd been Joshua's 0brother, he'd never once said something to him and had him hear it. MJ had never been more scared in his life, and he wished with all his heart for his mom to be there at that moment in time to hold his hand and tell him everything was going to be okay as he waited. Waited as his little brother's face and eyes registered the shock of hearing sounds for the very first time. Faint sounds growing into louder sounds with his big brown eyes growing bigger each time. Sounds that made Joshua's mouth drop open, and his dark eyes search the room frantically to see where they'd come from. Sounds. Just sounds. Fascinating him and scaring him in the same instant. MJ closed his eyes as he felt his dad's hands push him gently forward, taking a deep breath, and his mom was with him. Beside him. Holding his hand tightly as she whispered the magic words into his ear. He could still feel the moisture from her kiss to his cheek when he opened his eyes with a peaceful, confident smile on his face and tears rolling down his brown cheeks as he reached for Joshua's little hands, repeating her words in a whisper. "Mom says she loves you." Joshua cried.  
  
Chapter 69  
  
"Aunt Theresa! Aunt Theresa!" Cristian called out in the vast emptyness that was to be his aunt Theresa's new store-whenever she actually put something in it. "Aunt Theresa!" Cristian yelled one more time. Just for good measure. He loved how his voice echoed back to him. It was cool. "Aunt Ther." Cristian gasped as he felt a firm hand grip his shoulder, and he whirled around, jaw still hanging open. "I think she's upstairs, Little Man," Chad told him with a chuckle. "Don't you think you ought to be saving those pipes to sing 'Happy Birthday' to our Miss Ali?" "Yeah," Cristian answered thoughtfully. "I guess I better. What's taking Aunt Theresa so long, Uncle Chad? Is she fixing her make-up again?" A loud crash and the answering hurried clatter of feet down metal stairs had Chad and Cristian jumping in surprise, and Chad smirked when he discovered his fiancee kneeling at the foot of the stairs several feet away, her amused grin almost completely obscured by the thick curtain of dark hair that fell in waves around her face. Odds and ends from the box she'd been carrying were scattered everywhere, and instead of Cristian's childish voice, her giggles were now echoing off the walls. "I heard that, you guys, and no, Cristian," she teased, her brown eyes sparkling at her little nephew as Chad helped her to her feet, "I wasn't doing my make-up. Some things don't change though. I'm still as much a klutz as ever." Cristian and Chad exchanged knowing smiles, speaking in unison, "Yeah, you are." "Thanks," Theresa muttered sarcastically, packing the last item back in the box and handing it over to Chad before offering her hand to Cristian. "Ready?" she asked, smiling as she was practically blind-sided by the little boy's ever-increasing likeness to her own brother. "Uh huh," Cristian nodded, taking her hand without hesitation and falling into step beside her as they exited the building and waited for Chad to lock everything up. "Is Ali's present in there?" Cristian finally asked, his curiosity getting the better of him as Theresa buckled him into the back seat of Chad's car. "Sort of," Theresa told him. "What is it? You can tell me, Aunt Theresa. I'll give you TEN hugs," Cristian bargained. He was already shaping up to be a shrewd businessman, zeroing in on what he guessed to be all the ladies' Achilles heels. "But Cristian," Theresa mock- pouted, "I thought those hugs were free. If I tell you, it'll ruin the surprise." "I'm real good at keeping secrets, Aunt Theresa. Really I am." "Sure you are, Little Man," Chad said supportively, hiding his tickled smirk from his favorite little fella as he remembered fondly just a few incidents where Cristian's honesty proved him to be a terrible secret keeper. Hank, Abby, and his girl could vouch for that. Just to name a few people. "Patience, Cristian," Theresa scolded lightly, smiling when the realization that she sounded just like her mama brought about the memory of how little an impact that one word had always had on her, and if Cristian were anything, ANYTHING at all like her, he'd. "But Aunt Theresa." Cristian whined plaintively, confused brown eyes meeting Chad's dark eyes in the reflection of the rear view mirror the moment his aunt Theresa burst into another fit of giggles. Sometimes, Aunt Theresa was just STRANGE. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sheridan stepped back from the kitchen archway with a frown. Ali's birthday banner STILL wasn't high enough, and Luis hadn't returned from his stint playing chauffeur to a squad of squealing, giggling little girls. She couldn't rest until the banner was perfect, and the way it was drooping so low now, Hank was going to have to duck to walk under it. And Hank was.shorter than his wife, for goodness' sake. Sheridan tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and chewed on it fretfully as her blue eyes darted over her shoulder to make sure no one else was in sight. She rubbed a soothing hand over her rounded belly as she padded into the kitchen on bare feet in search of the stepladder Luis had tried (unsuccessfully) to hide from her. "I won't tell Daddy if you won't," she muttered as she climbed onto the small ladder, swearing softly under her breath when she heard her best friend's voice behind her. "But Gwen will. Sheridan, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Gwen scolded as she tugged insistently at Sheridan's arm, pulling her into a quick hug of greeting as soon as they both stood on level ground. "Don't pay any attention to Aunt Gwen's foul mouth," Sheridan whispered to the restless babe inside her womb, arching a golden brow at Gwen in unfeigned exasperation. "It was three little steps, Gwen. I could have handled them just fine. Geez, you're starting to sound like everyone else. If you start walking on eggshells around me too, Gwen, I don't know what I'll do," Sheridan sighed, letting herself be drawn back into Gwen's friendly embrace. "Maybe just a couple eggshells," Gwen teased as she pulled back to smile into Sheridan's tired blue eyes. "Where is everybody? I thought this was a party." "I could ask the same thing," Sheridan laughed, walking toward her bedroom and trusting Gwen to follow. "Hank's got the kids. I thought I'd come early to help on any last-minute decorations, but I didn't think I'd be the only one. How early am I? Pilar's not even here yet, and she's as meticulous about these things as you are, Sher." Sheridan poked her blond head around the edge of the open bathroom door, and Gwen smirked at her rolling blue eyes. "Pilar and Martin are at the hospital checking on Joshua's progress with his therapy, but you should know that. Luis took it upon himself to pick up all the little friends Ali invited to the party, and he's got Ali and Lissy with him." "Lissy's a good kid," Gwen commented, more to herself than to Sheridan, but Sheridan heard her and agreed with her assessment of the tawny-haired little girl with the enormous chocolate eyes. "Yeah, but I think she scared Cristian a little bit when she just happened to mention she wanted to marry him when he grew up so she and Ali could be sisters," Sheridan's smile was a bit tight this time as she reentered the bedroom in her red silk robe and walked straight to the closet she and Luis shared. "He's with Chad and Theresa. He's always with Chad and Theresa. Gwen, I'm starting to think my son would rather have Chad and Theresa for parents than me and Luis because we've both missed so much these past few months. He doesn't complain, but still." "Pardon my French, Sher," Gwen sighed heavily as she pushed herself off the edge of the bed and come to a standstill directly behind Sheridan, "but that's bull golly , and you know it. Cristian loves you and Luis both. What is it, Sher? What's making you act this way? Is it Ali? Are you worried about her? Because she's in the best care she could possibly be in, and I'd think you'd have more faith in Nick. Abby or no Abby, the man still worships YOU, and he's not going to let you down if he can possibly help it." Sheridan lowered her head, fingering the soft material of the sweater she clutched in both hands. "Don't say that. Please, don't say that, Gwen. I don't." "I know you don't," Gwen sighed, resting her chin on Sheridan's silk-covered shoulder, "but for whatever reason, the man's still hung up on you, and my husband could spit nails right now. This soup's been simmering long enough. Bennett's words, NOT mine. He just doesn't want it all to boil over, especially in a time like this, and burn everybody." "You just got to love Hank's analogies, huh?" Sheridan tried to make light of the situation as she rest her head against Gwen's blond head, but inside she felt a tight fist of dread squeezing her heart. It was the little things, building to a slow crescendo, that made her feel uneasy, not any doubt of her own feelings. She felt as if she were being pulled further and further out to sea by an invisible undertow, and calming down long enough to catch her breath was getting more difficult by the minute. She couldn't live with the pressure of keeping a secret from Luis. She turned around slowly to face Gwen, and her voice wavered as she spoke. "I don't know how much more of this I can deal with before I scream." Gwen took a deep breath, and her golden brown eyes never left Sheridan's blue irises as she offered a suggestion with a shrug of her shoulders. "Well, then.scream." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The screaming fits of two former debutante blondes a thing of the immediate past, the Casa de Lo-Fitz soon started filling up with friends and family. Luis arrived with an entourage of adoring, ever-giggling little girls following him and gazing up at him with worshipful eyes. It was cute to the extreme, Sheridan thought, snapping picture after picture, especially how Luis only had eyes for his AliCat. She lowered the camera, fixing her gaze on the two of them, and she realized no camera could fully capture the love in Luis's deep brown eyes as he held their daughter in his strong arms. And she felt another wave of disappointment wash through her at Luis's refusal to go through with the test. How could he not? When he loved her so very, very much? "Give me that, Mija," Pilar interrupted her troubling thoughts by reaching for the camera. "I'll take the pictures. Enjoy Ali's party with her." "Thanks, Pilar," Sheridan smiled gratefully, giving Pilar's hand a gentle squeeze before she started walking across the living room to her husband and daughter. She paused in the middle of the room awkwardly when Jake and Faith whisked Ali outside with the rest of the kids, and she felt her heart lodge in her throat as Luis's dark eyes stared intensely into her own. "Good grief, are you about to pop that baby out yet or not?" Sheridan felt laughter bubble up at the incredulous look in Abby's hazel eyes as she rest her hands on her abdomen. "She's got three more months or so, and she's going to make her grand entrance. Are you calling me fat, Abby?" "No," Abby grinned, tossing one tawny braided pigtail over her shoulder, "but you're awfully lucky you're not a midget like me or Bennett." "You ARE calling me fat!" Sheridan scoffed. "Whatever," Abby rolled her hazel eyes at her good-naturedly. "What are you two squabbling about now?" Gwen joined the playful conversation, brown eyes lighting up with appreciation that Abby's efforts had already paid off. "I'm jumping her ass for not visiting me more often lately. I think she's been avoiding me. What do you think?" Abby turned to Gwen for her opinion. "Sounds about right," Gwen agreed. "She hasn't been to the house much either, but that COULD be due to the three little monsters that currently reside there along with me and Bennett and an insanely annoying pug." "I told you that you should have named that fiend Becky," Abby muttered, grabbing a chip from a bowl as soon as they entered the kitchen and popping it into her mouth. "No offense, Gwen, but Gus bears an uncanny resemblance to your mother," Abby mumbled around a mouthful of chips. Gwen shook her head in amusement as she grabbed a handful of chips of her own. "So, Abby.you look more.relaxed.than I've ever seen you," Gwen said, a wicked gleam in her golden brown eyes. "Is sex with Dr. Nick that good?" Abby choked, sending chips down her windpipe, and Sheridan was afraid she'd turn blue before Gwen thrust a glass of water at her. "Hell," Abby sputtered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "give me fair warning next time. One minute we're talking about Becs's resemblance to your pug, then we shift to my sex life. You could have traumatized me for life, Gwen. Thanks." "You're welcome," Gwen grinned, winking at Sheridan. Sheridan smiled softly as she regarded the extra sparkle in Abby's already twinkling hazel eyes, and she wondered silently if Nick was even half as happy as Abby seemed to be. She hoped so. Very much. "Sheridan," Theresa peered around the kitchen door, smiling brightly. "Sam, Grace, and Miguel are on their way with the boys. Ethan and Beth called too. They're bringing Ivy with them. Do you need any help getting things set up?" "She's got enough hands in here, Theresa. Why don't you take care of the presents?" Gwen suggested, pulling a match out of its box, poised to light the nine pale pink candles arranged in a corner of the gooey chocolate cake that'd always been Ali's favorite. "Do you think we should tell the kids to come back inside yet?" Sheridan asked, removing the ice cream from the freezer. "I'll do it," Abby offered gamely, sweeping past Chad as he shepherded a newly made-up Cristian and a slightly guilty- looking Emily into the kitchen to take their seats at the table. "Emmy! What'd you do to him?" Gwen cried, wiping roughly at Cristian's perpetually blushing pink cheeks with a rag. "Whose make-up did you get into THIS time?" "Aunt Theresa's," Cristian muttered disgustedly, "get it off. Please." Sheridan hid her smile from her son, locking eyes with Chad across the room. "Chad, tell Theresa I'll buy her some new make-up," Sheridan said, taking glasses out of the cupboards for the adults. "No, no, Chad," Gwen sighed, standing up and turning Cristian's face from side to side to make sure she hadn't missed a spot, "I'll buy it. This one's Emmy's fault. You owe Cristian's aunt Theresa an apology, Emmy." "I'm sorry," Emmy pouted, clasping her little hands in her lap as a tear rolled down her cheek and fell from her chin. "They're too sweet," Theresa sighed as she entered the kitchen, smiling at Cristian petting Emmy to make her feel better. "They have their moments," Gwen admitted with a small smile, "where are all the kids? Abby should have.oh God." Theresa's dark eyes widened as Gwen's face blanched deathly pale, and Chad felt his heart stop in his chest when Sara and Lissy burst through the front door, screaming hysterically. "Ms. Sheridan! Ms. Sheridan!" Lissy screamed as Luis grabbed her by her slim shoulders and looked into her terrified chocolate eyes. "She's dead!" "Who, Lissy? Who's hurt?" Hank questioned as Luis, Chad, and Nick raced out the door without waiting for an answer, and Gwen, Theresa, and Pilar found themselves unable to breathe. "She's dead," Lissy sobbed harder, unable to answer Hank in her state of shock. "Sara?" Hank's voice came out strangled. "Sara, who's Lissy.who's de.who is it, Sar?" Sara's chin trembled, and her young brown eyes were tortured as they rest on Sheridan. Glass shattered all around Sheridan as two syllables left Sara's sad mouth. "Ali."  
  
Chapter 70  
  
"Jake, what happened?" Abby demanded, dropping to her knees beside Ali's unmoving body, sprawled at the base of the massive old tree that housed the tree house. Jake scrambled down the rungs of the ladder, pushing past Ali's stunned trio of friends and dropping to his knees beside Abby. "I don't know," Jake's voice was small and young and frightened as his brown eyes took in Ali's still, pale face. "Lissy was wrong, right?" his voice rose with agitation. "Ali's not.is she? Abby?" Jake shrugged off Faith's comforting hand on his shoulder as he watched Abby hurriedly unwrap the fuzzy pink and white scarf from Ali's neck and pull the buttons of her parka free with trembling fingers. "Abby?" Jake whispered as Abby rest her ear to Ali's chest to listen for a heartbeat and her fingers pinched Ali's nostrils closed as she lowered her mouth to breathe air into Ali's mouth. "I don't know what happened," he repeated quietly to Chad as he pulled him and Faith aside, and Aunt Grace and Uncle Sam seemed to appear from thin air, taking Ali's friends away from what Jake considered to be a terrible, terrible sight. Ali was so still, so awfully still except for the rise and fall of her chest each time Abby breathed oxygen into her lungs. Looking at her and not having her blue eyes staring back at him wasn't right, and it made him feel funny inside like he couldn't breathe. He felt something stinging his eyes as Ali gasped for breath, and Abby sank back on her heels to let Uncle Luis get to Ali. "I don't know what happened," Jake repeated for a third time, his worried brown eyes never leaving the image of Uncle Luis cradling Ali in his arms while her Dr. Nick tried to convince him to let go. "I don't know," Jake muttered, blinking as the stinging in his eyes grew harsher. "Dad, I don't know," he cried as he felt his dad's arms wrap around him and pull him close. Jake hid his face against the prickly material of his dad's sweater as the funny feeling in the pit of his stomach overwhelmed him and the hot tears started rolling down his cheeks. "Luis, you need to let her go," Nick said, his gray eyes connected with hazel for a moment. He could read the plea in Abby's eyes to go easy on her friend, and as much as he'd like to do that, he couldn't when he didn't know the facts. He shook his head at her, and Abby's sigh was audible as she gripped Luis's forearm gently. "Luis, Nick just wants to make sure Ali's okay. Can you let him do that?" "S'okay, Daddy," Ali breathed, lifting her little hand to Luis's cheek. Luis cupped Ali's palm around his cheek, pressing his lips against her sweet-smelling skin as his arms relaxed slightly around her. He brushed his lips against her warm forehead, pulling back to search her pretty blue eyes before nodding. Ali slumped against him weakly as Nick quickly checked her over for any serious injuries, and Luis breathed deeply, willing the tight coil of anxiety in his abdomen to unwind. "Ali, can you tell me what happened?" Nick asked, stroking her soft cheek affectionately as his mind and eyes processed everything. Ali glanced behind her at the bottom rungs of the ladder nailed to the old tree, and Luis felt her tense in his arms as she lowered her pale lashes, hiding her blue eyes from their view. "I was climbing behind Faith, and I.I got dizzy. And the ladder was slippery. I just fell. But I feel better now, Dr. Nick. I'm not hurt." "AliCat," Abby scolded lightly, "you did more than just fall. You fell so hard it knocked the breath right out of you, and you scared us and your poor friends to death. I had to.oh shi.damn," Abby swore, turning to Luis with concerned hazel eyes. "Lissy thought." "Sheridan," Luis finished Abby's unspoken thought. "Mija, you have to calm down," Pilar soothed, stroking a maternal hand down Sheridan's back as Gwen leaned across the rear of the chair Sheridan sat in, patting her friend's tear-streaked cheeks with a cool cloth. "Come on, Sher," Gwen's voice was a soft plea, "you know this isn't good for the baby. The more upset you are.the more upset she is too. Calm down, Sweetie. Ali's fine. You heard Chad. She's alive and well, and it's only going to upset her seeing you this way." Sheridan closed her blue eyes, drawing in a shaky breath as she tried to control her breathing and pounding heart. Her eyes were red and glistening when they re-opened, and Theresa, carefully cleaning up the shattered glass from the kitchen floor, offered her sister- in-law what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "That's it, Auntie," Chad's dark eyes were serious as they lingered on her face, the teasing endearment tugging at her aching heartstrings, "breathe deep. Slow. Relax." A thin, curling string of smoke wafted up from one of the pink candles on Ali's birthday cake, the ice on the outside of the ice cream bucket melted and moistened the kitchen countertop, shards of glass still littered the tile floor, muffled crying drifted in from the living room over Sam's, Grace's, and Martin's calming voices, and across the kitchen table, Emily and Cristian huddled together in one chair, watching her, Sheridan realized, with somber dark eyes. Miguel hovered at the archway with MJ and Joshua, unsure what to say or do. Sheridan covered her face with shaking hands. She knew she was frightening everyone, but she couldn't seem to do a single thing about it. Fear had struck her heart, and she could actually feel it seeping into each and every one of her cells like an aggressive cancer. Cancer, she thought bitterly, her shoulders quaking with renewed sobs as she was reminded again of her own helplessness to aid her own daughter in the fight for her life. Their perfect world wasn't just tilting or spinning on its axis. It was hurlting through a place dark and scary and unrecognizable, and Sheridan was beginning to be afraid that all the hope, love, and prayer in the world would not return it to its order. Tears clogged her throat, and pain-emotional AND physical-clouded her mind. So much so that Sheridan had to question, when Luis burst into the kitchen with Ali in his arms and cried "We have to get her to the hospital," was he talking about Ali? Or was he talking about her? 


	15. Chapter 71

Chapter 71  
  
She concentrated on the steady, comforting beep of the monitor recording each beat of her baby's heart, determined to push the events of last night to the furthest reaches of her mind. The pain had been scary in itself, but its implications.Sheridan said a quick prayer of thanks for her more than capable doctor. Quick action and the grace of God meant she had an opportunity to give her daughter another, better chance, and she meant to do just that. AFTER she checked on Ali. She was worried about her other baby girl, and she couldn't just lie in this hospital bed not doing anything. "Sheridan?" Luis's sleepy, confused voice made Sheridan's own heart beat double time, and she dropped the sheets clutched in her left fist with a sigh of resignation. Obviously, she wasn't as sneaky as she used to be. "Go back to sleep, Luis. I think I can manage to make it to the bathroom on my own." Luis's skeptically raised dark brow was visible even in the darkness of the hospital room, and his dark eyes told her all she needed to know when he reached a hand up to turn on the overhead light above her head. Except for that brief sticky period where they were BOTH denying their feelings for each other, the man had always read what was in her heart and on her mind like pages from a book. He answered her question before she could ask it. "Ali's fine, Baby. She had a little bit of a temperature last night, but I'm sure it's gone now. Mama said Taylor was starting her chemo this morning, and she promised not to leave Ali's side." "I should be by her side, Luis. Pilar's wonderful, and Ali loves her and Martin. But it should be us, Luis. We should." Sheridan frowned when Luis put an end to her babbling with a finger to her lips. "But Luis." "Shh," Luis hushed her again, gently picking her hand up and bringing it to his lips to press a kiss to her palm. Sheridan could literally feel a little of her tension and worry ebbing away with each sweep of his thumb across the back of her hand and each soft whisper. "Let Mama and Papa take care of Ali right now. You heard what the doctor said about the baby." Sheridan's chin dropped to her chest like that of a scolded child, and she refused to meet Luis's dark gaze even when he lifted her chin with his index finger. "I don't want last night to happen again, Luis, but." "But not being able to hold Ali in your arms and comfort her yourself is only making you more worried," Luis finished her thought astutely, and Sheridan lifted tearful blue eyes to his much loved face as she nodded her blond head wordlessly. "I know. Me too," Luis murmured, brushing the moisture that clung stubbornly to her lashes away with the pad of his thumb. Sheridan sniffled, feeling ridiculous and childish but unable to stop the tears as she felt the warm, comforting press of Luis's lips against her forehead. "Will it make you feel better if I checked in on Ali myself?" "I can go with you," Sheridan offered, already knowing his answer. Her chin jutted out obstinately with his refusal of her wishes all the same, and she was still glaring at the door he'd left through when Abby waltzed in. "Well, good morning to you too, Spoiled Princess," Abby greeted with an exaggerated roll of her hazel eyes. Sheridan smiled despite herself. Funny how time changed a person's perception of certain things. God, she used to be so gullible. "Shades of Sheridan CRANE?" Abby wondered, taking it upon herself to claim Luis's vacated bedside seat. "Interesting. Though I'm still disappointed I didn't know you when. So.how's the bambino? What?" Abby quirked a tawny brow at Sheridan's wide smile and giggles that were amusingly Ali-like. A woman could make herself dizzy trying to figure out the rhyme and reason to Abby's thought processes, Sheridan realized. "Nothing. She's fine. The baby," Sheridan elaborated, unconsciously moving her hands over the mound of her belly as she spoke. Abby followed her movements with a small, slightly sad smile on her lips. "Protect her while you can because the world can be a cruel place. Especially if your timing sucks.Hey!" Abby's change of gears was so abrupt Sheridan could almost feel her head spinning. "Did I mention that a certain someone with soulful brown eyes charmed his way into my bed last night? He was so adorable about it that I didn't dare say no. But MJ.the Demon Seed lacks Cristian's finesse. No whispered sweet nothings, but I could still feel the love. I'm telling you, Sheridan, my timing stinks. Maybe I'll finally nab myself a gorgeous Lo-Fitz in my next lifetime." Sheridan's smile over Abby's teasing wink lasted only a moment. "Cristian asked to sleep with you? He only does that when he's scared or worried." "You're his mother. Ali's his sister. Of course, he's worried. We all were. Don't sweat it though. I think between the two of us, the Demon Seed and I got through to him," Abby said reassuringly. "By the way.I wouldn't recommend ever sharing a bed with MJ. He doesn't just cuddle like Cristian. He's like this smothering teddy bear." He misses Kay, Sheridan thought silently, but didn't say anything on the subject. Instead she decided to get in a little teasing herself. "And Nick doesn't have a problem with you sharing your bed with other men?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Do you think Sheridan's going to be upset when she sees it?" Theresa wondered aloud, tucking her disheveled dark head against Chad's strong shoulder. The events of the last twenty-four hours.they were crazy. She was so tired, and they were really only at the beginning. Chad thought back to Luis's initial shocked reaction to Ali's new catheter even after he'd given Nick the OK to help Ali in any way possible. "A little. But I think Taylor's right. It ain't pretty, but it's going to do its job and save Miss Ali a lot of unnecessary pain of starting new IV's over and over again. I don't think Sheridan's going to like finding out AFTER the fact, but she'll deal." "Where'd Mama and Papa go?" Theresa yawned, nestling even deeper into Chad's arms. "They took Cristian and MJ to the cafeteria for some breakfast," Chad answered, sweeping his hand over her back in rhythmic strokes and lulling her into an even more relaxed state. "Girl, you heard what Abby said. They have a long weekend." "It's really not fair," Theresa muttered into Chad's chest. "We never had so many holidays and free days." Chad chuckled, and Theresa frowned up at him. "What? What's so funny?" "No holidays, Girl? You and Whitney made your own holidays. I didn't know it was possible to miss so many days of school and still graduate. How'd you do it?" "You think you're funny, don't you?" Theresa asked, sitting upright with a pout and scooting away from him. And those two were getting married, Hank thought with a grin, turning his attention back to the small window looking into Ali's hospital room. Ali looked so tiny and pale cradled in Luis's arms as Taylor stood off to one side of the bed beside Katie while she made sure Ali was comfortable. Hank stepped back against the wall as the door opened and Taylor and Katie emerged. Katie's green eyes sparkled and she smiled upon seeing him, leaving Taylor standing by himself a few feet away as she walked back to him, Hank thought with satisfaction. Good. It was just something about Taylor.Hank wasn't above wishing he'd get Ali better and leave town. Forever. "I'm afraid it's just me. Not exactly the Bennett you were hoping to see," Hank teased. "Jessica's got Noah scouting out houses with her and the kids," he said in a more serious tone. "They're moving back to Harmony? That's good. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett will enjoy having them closer," Katie said with a smile. "Noah too. I know he misses having his sister around." "Coffee? We have a few things to discuss. Like how you're going to have to change a few things if you want to fit in the Bennett family. It's Sam. Sam and Grace," Hank told her, slipping an arm around her shoulder as he steered her down the hall without waiting for her answer, "Not Mr. and Mrs. Bennett. They hate that. You can call them Mom and Dad after you and Noah get married, but Sam and Grace will do for now." "Married?" Katie choked, turning a pretty shade of pink. "Noah and I are just.we've only been dating a little over a month. He hasn't even met Kendall yet." "I happen to have it on good authority that you AND Kendall are invited to dinner tomorrow night. Noah wants to properly introduce you to Jessica and the kids before they fly back to Chicago. Don't look so scared. You're going to be a hit. I'll talk you through all the Bennett idiosyncrasies over a cup of coffee," Hank told her with a grin. He couldn't help but find humor in the fact that the pretty smile was all but gone, replaced by the most dead-on deer in the headlights look he'd ever witnessed. Nick looked back to Ali's chart with a small smile. Hank Bennett was certainly.an individual. He couldn't say he'd met anyone like him before- maybe Abby, he thought as he lay Ali's chart on the counter of the nurses' desk and waited until he had Ellie's undivided attention. He bit back a smirk when Ellie replaced the phone on the receiver and immediately started batting her fake eyelashes at him. Abby was right. They WERE huge and they DID look a bit like flapping moth wings. "Ellie, could you keep a check on Ali until Katie gets back from her break? I have a few things I need to do, but I want you to page me if anything happens." "Page you if anything happens. Got it, Dr. Taylor," Ellie said, attempting to give him a seductive smile. It failed miserably. Thanks in part to the annoyed gleam in her eyes that could only mean one thing, Nick realized, turning around and completely ignoring Ellie. The smile started as a twinkle in his gray eyes and spread over his entire face until he found himself grinning at Abby like a fool. He didn't know how she did it, but the woman never failed to make him smile. "Miss me?" Abby teased with an impish grin, her arms crossed around her middle. Nick tugged on her arm gently, closing the distance between them, and threaded one hand through the tawny hair that fell loosely around her face to cup the base of her skull. Abby's twinkling hazel eyes fluttered shut with the first gentle brush of Nick's mouth against hers, and she sighed happily at his unspoken answer, stretching on tiptoe to snake her arms around his neck and kiss him back. Nick could hear Ellie's annoyed reaction behind them, and he knew they probably had a growing audience. But the truth was, he HAD missed being with her last night. He just didn't realize how much until he heard her voice and looked into her smiling hazel eyes. Abby's mouth was warm, soft, responsive, and smiling when Nick finally released it reluctantly, his big hands framing each side of her face. "I like your hair like this," he murmured, tucking a tawny strand behind her ear, "it looks.pretty." "Pretty?" Abby laughed softly, rubbing her cheek against the palm that still cupped her face. "Pretty is what Jake says to Ali. I SO feel like I'm back in the fourth grade." Nick chuckled, leaning down to give Abby's lips one last lingering kiss then dropping a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Junior high then," Abby amended, grinning at his affectionate gesture. "I told you so, Cristian," MJ hissed in his little cousin's ear as they passed by, following Martin and Pilar back to the waiting area. "Abby's in love with Ali's Doctor Nick." Cristian looked at Abby and Nick with his big dark eyes. What did 'in love' mean anyway? And how did MJ know anything about it? He wasn't that much older than him. Cristian wasn't sure about being 'in love', but he knew all about liking somebody. Ali liked Jake a whole lot, and Uncle Hank always said Jake didn't want to admit it, but he liked Ali too. Was being 'in love' the same thing as liking someone a lot? Cristian was sure that even a little bitty baby could tell Abby liked Dr. Nick very, very much-same thing with Ali, and MJ said Abby was 'in love.' Cristian's dark eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open in utter shock. Did that mean Jake and Ali were 'in love' too? "Nana. Nana, I got to ask you a question," Cristian cried, slipping his little hand in Pilar's palm as they paused outside Ali's room to look in on her and his daddy. "Yes, Mijo?" Pilar smiled down at him patiently. "Mijo?" Cristian looked to MJ and the devilish glint in the other child's eyes made Cristian's question lodge firmly and uncomfortably in his throat. "MJ? What did you say to him?" MJ shrugged his shoulders, but Pilar could see the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. "Me? Nothing. So what's your big question, Cristian?" Cristian slipped his arms around Pilar's waist and his mumbled words were almost lost to Pilar's ears. "Can I go see Mommy now?" Pilar told him 'yes' with a smile and her scolding was half-hearted at best when she turned to her other grandson. The old MJ was slowly coming back. She didn't know whether to feel complete relief or retain a little healthy fear. Chapter 72  
"Dad, I've been thinking." Jake began, already making his case. "What's that, Little Buddy?" Hank inquired, giving Gwen a quick wink over the top of Jake's brown head as they ushered their gang of little Bennetts toward Sam and Grace's door. "Since I'm the oldest and all," Jake stated, not without a healthy dose of pride in the fact, "I've been thinking I can sit with you and Mom at the grown-ups' table." "Hmm," Hank pretended to mull the proposition over. "You ARE more mature than I was at your age.What? What was that, Babe? If you want your two cents heard, give them to me." Hank demanded of his smirking wife. Gwen's brown eyes were alight with humor, and Sara snickered naughtily at her mother's words as she answered, "That's a ringing endorsement, Bennett. That ugly mutt at home is more mature than you NOW." "Gus isn't ugly," Emily defended," Mommy? What does 'mature' mean?" "Mature is just something Daddy is NOT," Gwen answered her, fitting the little hand that tugged at her jacket sleeve in her own and smoothing down Sara's always tangled looking brown hair with her other hand. "Mom," Sara glowered, "I fixed my hair already." "No, she didn't," Emily revealed, "she didn't comb her hair, and she flushed her new bow down the potty." "Did not!" Sara lied, "You're nothing but a tattletale brat, Emmy. Isn't she, Jake?" Jake ignored his squabbling little sisters, turning back to his dad. "See, Dad? Very mature. I don't deserve to be punished and made to sit with those babies. 'Cause that's what'd it be, Dad. Punishment. What would we talk about? SpongeBob Squarepants? SpongeBob Squarepants who? We have nothing in common. Nothing. Besides.my teacher at school says our brains should always be stimulated. How stimulating can the preschool set be?" Hank chuckled as the door opened and Jessica welcomed them inside. "We'll see, Little Buddy." "Uncle Hank," Jessica smiled, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing tightly. "I thought you guys were bringing Abby. I did remember to tell you Mom invited her, didn't I?" Jessica asked, pulling back and sweeping her blue eyes across Hank's face. "You remembered, and I told Tink," Hank answered her, taking off his leather jacket and hanging it up inside the closet beside Emily's pink parka. "But she said she couldn't make it. Thanks to Taylor, no doubt." "Bennett," Gwen sighed in exasperation, "green doesn't suit you, and I know when you're lying so don't even try it 'cause it's not going to work. You and Abby can reschedule your 'play date' for later this week. I'm sure Nick won't mind." "Haha. Very funny, Babe," Hank grumbled, deciding to follow the kids into the living room. Jessica giggled girlishly in Hank's wake. "Abby sounded a little tired over the phone, Jessica," Gwen explained, "She said she'd better stay in tonight since she wouldn't be good company anyway." "That Energizer Bunny? Too bad," Jessica lamented, her happy expression turning somber, "Mom really wanted her to come. She has something she wanted to give her. Something of Kay's. She's been going through her things again." "I'm sorry, Jessica. I know it must be hard. We all miss Kay.you.your mom." Gwen trailed off, seeing the telltale brightness of tears in Jessica's eyes. "It's okay," Jessica answered her, wiping quickly at the moisture that pooled in the corner of her eyes and threatened to spill over. "Missing her hurts, but the memories are good. Even though some of them didn't seem like it at the time. Just ask Simone and Miguel." Gwen smiled. "I'm sure they have some interesting stories to tell. Speaking of Miguel." "He's here," Jessica anticipated her question, nodding in the general direction of the kitchen. "He's in the kitchen with Mom. They're letting Joshua have free reign of the place. You're lucky you just got here. You missed the great pot and pan jam session. Joshua's fascinated by the clanging noise." "Geez, Uncle Sam," Jake muttered as he strolled into the kitchen amidst the most fearsome racket he'd EVER heard in the place. "Couldn't you spring for some better entertainment?" Sam chuckled, grabbing Jake by the shoulders and knuckling his spiky brown hair. "Daddy? Where's all the food? I'm hungry," Emily said, rubbing her tummy for emphasis. "How can you be hungry? We already a." Sara scowled when Hank released his hand from her mouth, and Sam and Jake just grinned at each other. "I'm sure the tomato soup cake will be finished any moment now," Hank told his annoyed progeny. "We're not having tomato soup cake tonight," Grace raised her voice to be heard over the commotion Joshua was still causing, aided and abetted by MJ, Faith, and Myles. "YE.mmmph," Sara's dark eyes narrowed to slits when Hank clamped his hand over her mouth again. Hank was thankful Grace had her back turned to them. Keeping the kid quiet was one thing. He didn't have enough hands to censor her hand gestures too. The fist pumping in the air was really too much. "Really?" Hank tried to keep all traces of relief out of his voice. "Really, Hank," Grace whirled around with a smile, "I thought I'd go easy on you tonight. As soon as Noah and Katie get here, he's going with you, Sam, and Miguel to pick up dinner from the Lobster Shack." "Thanks, Dad," Jake grumbled with a roll of his brown eyes in Hank's direction. Hank glanced back at Gwen just entering the kitchen with Jessica. "You knew? You knew, Babe, and you didn't tell me? Wives aren't supposed to keep secrets from their husbands." "Don't blame this on me," Gwen huffed indignantly, "I told you not to spoil your appetite." "And you," Hank turned to Grace in accusation, stunned to find her smirking, "how long have you known." "That none of you can stomach my cooking?" Grace laughed. "Oh.I think subconsciously I've ALWAYS suspected. But I didn't KNOW until Kay hit me with the ugly truth at Christmas." "Damn," Hank uttered softly. "She always did have more guts than the rest of us." "That she did," Sam sighed, slipping an arm around his wife's waist and pulling her close. Grace tucked her head beneath Sam's chin and held on as the bedlam in the kitchen seemed to completely die down, leaving them to remember her daughter fondly in silence. Until one young voice rang out clear as a bell, making them laugh unexpectedly. "Thanks, Mom," MJ raised his lively brown eyes to the heavens. "No offense, Grandma." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Noah pulled at the collar of his navy sweater nervously as he checked out his hair in the reflection of his driver's side window one last time. He transferred the cheerful little bouquet of daisies in his left hand to his right, lifting his left hand to cup around his mouth. Satisfied there was no need for a breath mint, he lowered his hand and inhaled deeply, internally debating whether or not he should get the little blue package he'd had Jessica wrap up for Kendall out of his trunk. He didn't want it to seem like he was trying to buy the kid's affection. The notion bordered on being ridiculous though. Who bought out a two-year-old? Sis, he thought, looking up to the twinkling winter night sky, I need a little help here. There's this girl, and I really like her. I could even fall in love with her. Everything depends on the kid. Please, let the kid like me. "Okay, Sis?" Noah whispered, closing his silver-blue eyes as he imagined his sister smiling down on him. "Noah? Noah, is that you?" Noah's eyes snapped open, and he slowly turned around to find Katie, looking pretty as a picture in pale lavender, gazing at him with concern in her green eyes. "Who else? Are you telling me I have competition?" Noah teased, stepping forward and holding out his handful of daisies. Katie touched the flowers to the tip of her nose with a smile, and Noah felt like he was smiling all over in response. He wouldn't admit to being in love with the girl yet, but her sweet smile was working its magic on him. "How did you know?" "You mentioned it once." "Once," Katie laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him forward. "There's someone I want you to meet." The first thing Noah noticed the moment he walked inside Katie's apartment.toys. Toys and baby pictures and just her. The apartment was small but homey, due in large part to Katie, Noah thought to himself as they neared a worn-looking sofa where a woman with graying brown hair that Noah assumed to be her mother sat holding a toddler with sandy hair. The woman faded to the background as Noah connected eyes with the child's green eyes, and he felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when he realized the odds were against him surviving the night without falling in love with the kid. "Noah," Katie murmured softly, just the tiniest trace of nervousness in her voice as she took the little boy from his grandmother's arms, "this is my son. Kendall. Kendall, this is Mommy's." "Boyfriend?" Noah supplied with a slightly teasing smirk, thinking that somehow that description just didn't adequately describe his feelings at the moment but not knowing what those feelings were exactly. "Nice to meet you, Kendall," Noah grinned, giving the little boot a playful tug. "Wow! That's a pretty impressive truck over there," Noah exclaimed, walking a few feet away and picking up a yellow dump truck, Kendall's solemn green gaze following him the entire time. "Is this yours? I have an old fire engine at my house with sirens and everything, but I always wanted a cool dump truck like yours. What?" Noah shrugged his shoulders at Katie's amused laughter, aware of and loving the fact that twin pairs of sparkling green eyes watched his every move, "I'm telling the truth. I had the fire truck, the train, and the police car, but never the dump truck." "I'm think I'm seeing a new side to you tonight, Noah Bennett," Katie remarked softly, resting her chin atop the sandy crown of her son's head and smiling at him. Me too, Noah thought, resisting the urge to kiss her then and there. He took her by the elbow instead, leading her out the door with a quick goodbye to her mother and into the crisp night air. "Ready?" he asked her as the door shut behind them, and they were alone. Just the three of them. Katie took a deep breath and nodded her head slowly. "As I'll ever be." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Who is it?" Abby called, grumbling under her breath as she trudged tiredly to the front door, wholly expecting to see Hank's wise-ass grin the moment she flung it open. "Hank, I thought I told you.oh. It's just you," she muttered, pulling her fuzzy robe around her waist even tighter and practically burrowing inside of it. "Just me, huh?" Shane sighed, pretending to be deeply hurt. "Just me. Maybe I should go." "Get in here," Abby rolled her hazel eyes at her brother, yanking his forearm forcefully and making him lurch forward. "This is definitely not the greeting I expected from my loving little sister," Shane teased, shutting the door and following Abby to the living room where he watched her collapse on the couch in disbelief. He nudged one blue fuzzy slippered foot with his knee and slumped down on the sofa beside her once she lowered them to allow him to pass by. He watched her toe the slippers off and pull her knees up beneath her chin without saying a word. "My sources tell me you and a certain Harmony doctor were caught engaging in a blatant public display of affection a mere twenty-four hours ago. What happened between then and now, Baby Girl?" "Dammit, Shane," Abby swore softly, cradling her aching head in her left palm, "I thought I told you." "Not to call you 'Baby Girl'," Shane interjected. "I'm sorry, Baby Girl. Talk to me," he told her, mentally dodging the daggers aimed his way. "Did that bonehead hurt you in some way? I like the guy, but you have to admit, he possesses quite a few.bonehead qualities." Abby smirked, allowing Shane to guide her head to his shoulder, and she snuggled close to his comforting warmth. "Nick didn't do anything to me. I haven't even seen him since yesterday. It's not Nick, Shane. I'm just.I'm pretty sure I'm coming down with that damn flu bug that's making the rounds at the hospital, and.and it's been almost.Shane," Abby protested weakly as her brother leaned forward, having spied the small box of pictures on the coffee table. "Almost ten years," Shane sighed as he remembered the approaching date-an anniversary that had nothing to do with celebration, rubbing his jaw wearily as three youthful faces stared up at him. "Abby, you need to let this go. It's over and done with, and you're happy now. Look at me," Shane whispered softly, grasping Abby's chin between his fingers firmly and searching her shimmering hazel eyes. "You're happy now, and both of those bastards are history." "You're wrong, Shane. Vincent was the bastard, not." Words failed Abby as Shane pulled her into a tight embrace, and she clutched handfuls of his sweater in her hands as she held on to him desperately, letting him soothe her tears even as he damned the other man in the photograph. "He left you when you needed him the most, Baby Girl, and I can't forgive him for that. I won't. Do you understand me? Do you understand me, Abby?" Shane demanded to know, pulling back and framing each side of her face with his big hands. "It's not like either one of us is going to see him again anyway," Abby muttered as she felt the gentle press of her brother's lips against her forehead. "You're warm." "Yeah, and unless you want me to give new meaning to the phrase 'you make me sick'," Abby smirked, "you should leave. Just go, Shane. Nick should be home soon. He'll take care of me." "If you LET him," Shane chuckled, grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch and tucking it around her shoulders. "I'm only leaving because I know how stubborn you are." "And you're going to call Nick as soon as you're outside that door. Don't even try to deny it. I know you inside out. I'm your sister, remember?" "How the hell could I forget with you reminding me?" Shane teased. "Love you. Let him take care of you.for me, okay?" "I don't make promises I can't keep. Shoo, fly. Go back home to Ivy. I'm sure she's keeping your side of the bed warm," Abby grumbled as Shane backed out the front door. Three youthful faces stared up at her from the photograph, but one didn't smile. She didn't think he ever had. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I can count to ten in Spanish. We learned how last week in school," Faith bragged, tucking a stubborn auburn curl back behind her ear as she knelt on the floor beside Jake and MJ who were engaged in a rather competitive video game of basketball. "So?" Jake shrugged, unimpressed. Like he didn't know how to count to ten in Spanish ages ago. Uncle Luis taught him. "Ali can count PAST ten in Spanish AND French." Faith frowned, elbowing Jake in the ribs 'accidentally' as she crowded in closer. Pest, Jake thought, arching a dark brow at MJ before returning his attention to the television screen in front of them. Faith always acted so jealous like she liked him or something, and it was really gross 'cause they were cousins! And she reminded him of that little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead. The one in the poem or riddle. Whatever it was. "I wanna play," Faith announced, grabbing for the controller in his hands. "Sara's turn next," Jake muttered, snatching the controller back away from her with a scowl. That fit had been fun. For as long as he could remember, his little sister had been one heck of a screamer. "But I'm older," Faith whined, "I should be next. MJ, let me play yours." "No way," MJ cried, hiding his hands behind his back. "I'll scream if I have to," Faith warned, "then nobody will get to play." Jake and MJ locked eyes with each other then looked back at Faith. "You want to go show Joshua what flushing the toilet sounds like?" MJ suggested, dark eyes gleaming wickedly. Jake grinned, "Yeah. And then we can." Faith crossed her arms across her chest and pouted at the television screen in front of her while Jake and MJ convinced Joshua to follow them up the stairs. She HATED boys! "My turn!" Sara squealed, dropping down in the floor beside her. "Good luck, Uncle Noah." "Thanks, Sara," Noah grinned, taking a seat on the other side of Faith. "You're going to need it," Sara taunted with an evil little grin. "He's not your uncle, Stupid. He's your cousin," Faith explained haughtily. "Who you calling Stupid?" Sara scowled, "I can call him Uncle Noah if I want to so there." "You're such a baby, Sara Bennett," Faith rolled her blue eyes at the younger girl as she climbed to her feet and stepped over Noah's sprawled legs. "Am not. Your last name rhymes with turkey. Gobble, gobble. Gobble, gobble." Noah bit down on the inside of his cheek hard to keep from laughing out loud at the back and forth between the two little girls. They kept him thoroughly entertained until Faith stomped away to the kitchen in surrender. Sara grinned triumphantly at having gotten in the last word. Yeah. She was most definitely his uncle Hank's flesh and blood. "I don't think I want to play anymore, Uncle Noah. I'm going to go see if Emmy's through putting on Myles's make-up." Noah leaned his head back and laughed out loud. One fearless warrior and one aspiring make-up artist. There wasn't a person safe from Emmy's looted mascara and blush within a mile radius. Noah looked up to find Katie sharing a fairly animated conversation with his mom, his sister, and Gwen several feet away while his mom held Kendall in her lap. He waved at Katie when she glanced in his direction, and he grinned at her smile, feeling very much like a complete sap. He suppressed the childish urge to stick his tongue out at his sister when he saw her knowing expression. He was a grown man, dammit! Even if he seemed to have all the bumbling confidence of a teenaged boy lately. When his dad, Uncle Hank, and Miguel appeared at the front door, arms laden with bags and boxes of food, Noah scrambled to his feet, deciding to save himself any further embarrassment. Jessica already had enough fodder to tease him with for weeks.  
  
  
  
Kids seemed to appear from thin air, streaming into the kitchen as dinner was served, and Jake was dissuaded from sitting at the grown-up table when he learned he would have to share the honors with Faith. Emily played the little mother figure for Joshua, Myles, and Kendall, and it was clear that all three little boys were quite smitten. MJ reluctantly took the vacant seat beside Faith, and Noah and Jessica shared a stealthy laugh over his despondent demeanor while Hank and Gwen shared a not-so-secret chuckle over Jake's annoyance at being lumped in with the 'babies' once again. Even Sara. The room was bustling with activity as everyone took their seats, and Noah's breath caught in his throat when he realized that this night, this dinner, was the first time since.the first time they'd been gathered together in one place at one time (minus, Reese) in such a long time. He was hit with an overwhelming sense of regret in that moment, and as he looked around at all the faces that meant so much to him, he vowed not to let the same thing happen again. He looked at his dad, fighting for his composure at seeing Katie sitting in what had been Kay's regular seat, and made a silent promise not to ever take his family for granted again. Holding his mother's hand in his own as they said grace, each of their voices lowered in blessing for a person dear to their hearts, he knew he'd keep his word. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Nick let himself into the apartment quietly, his mind occupied with the night's previous conversations and events. He'd received a spoken invitation tonight to attend Theresa and Chad's wedding, planned for sometime in the future. He knew the unspoken condition. Sometime when Ali was well. He prayed that time came soon. Listening to Theresa's excited chatter as he'd said a final goodnight to Ali, he couldn't help but be swept up by the hope that infused her words. Under his care Ali WOULD get well. The new baby WOULD arrive safe and unhurried. And the absent Paloma and long-lost Antonio WOULD return home to share in their sister's joy. He wondered idly if Abby'd like to attend the wedding with him, and that train of thought raised some interesting questions in his mind. Questions he didn't want to deal with at the present time. He was enjoying whatever it was they had together too much to mess it up by labelng it and painting themselves in a corner. He knew Abby felt the same way so he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind, loosening the knot of his tie and unbuttoning his shirt on the way to his bedroom. He hung his jacket up inside his closet and stripped down to his boxers, turning on the bedside lamp with a smile. The smile on his face froze when he found the bed empty, and his gray eyes gravitated toward the thin sliver of pale yellow light emanating from Abby's partially closed bedroom door. He found Abby sleeping beneath a mound of covers, papers and pictures scattered on the mattress beside her. He gathered the papers and pictures in his hands, pausing to study one photograph in particular before placing them in the box that rest in the armchair, and pulled the blankets back to climb into bed beside her. Whether the man was Vincent or not wasn't his concern until she decided to talk to him about it, and he didn't feel comfortable grilling her. He slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer until they were nose to nose. Glittering hazel eyes fluttered open, and one touch of his palm to Abby's forehead confirmed Nick's immediate suspicion. "You're burning up. Why didn't you tell me." "That I feel like hell?" Abby croaked, managing a small smile even as a chill swept down her spine, and she shivered in his arms. "I thought not jumping you the moment you walked in was a pretty damn good clue. Do these pajamas look sexy? See? I didn't think so. If I were you, Mister, I wouldn't come near me with a ten-foot pole. Trust me. You don't want this." Nick wore a tender smile on his lips as he brushed her tawny hair back off her forehead, his fingers lingering along her jaw. He wrapped his arms around her when she trembled violently against him with the next chill, holding her close as his hands rubbed the heated skin of her back. "What if I want to take my chances?" "Then I'd say you're a dumbass. A sweet dumbass, but a dumbass all the same," Abby finally grit out, teeth chattering. He held her for hours, through the chills, and the fevered confessions. She told him about the man in the picture, Vincent, and how they met at a club when she was still in college. He was a talentless drummer in the worst band she'd ever heard, and she was just a kid sneaking into a nightclub. He bought her a drink, got her drunk, took her back to her dorm room, and left her before the sun rose. "I was so pissed I dumped a pitcher of ice-cold beer down the front of his pants the next time I saw him," she remembered, and Nick smiled, stroking her hair softly as she pressed her ear to his heart, listening to its steady beat. "Of course, we ended up married," Abby laughed humorlessly, snuggling deeper into his arms as she recounted their spur of the moment wedding. "Shane never did like Vincent. I never could understand why in the beginning. I knew it all, and I was so sick of my brother playing father to me. God, I was so stupid. Things were okay in the beginning. We hardly saw each other, and we spent the time we had together making love." Nick felt his entire body tense hearing those words leave Abby's mouth. He didn't want to know why the thought of the woman in his arms making love to her own husband bothered him so much. Thankfully, Abby failed to notice his reaction. "I think seeing each other so little.that had a lot to do with our marriage making it past the first year. And the second, third.I was stupid not to divorce him the first time he did it.Shane wanted to kill him, but I let my stubborn pride stop him.I made a fool of myself. Vincent made a fool out of me. I cut my brother out of my life and lived to regret it." Sweat beaded Abby's brow, and her hazel eyes were still bright with the remnants of her breaking fever as she pleaded him in a voice battered by past hurt, "Don't make a fool out of me." The lump in Nick's throat prevented a response, and Abby slept, fitfully, in his arms for the rest of the night. Chapter 73  
  
"How are we doing this morning, Sweetie?" Katie greeted Ali, entering her hospital room with a smile. Ali's heavy lids fluttered, and she offered Katie a weak smile as she checked her vitals. "Tired? Well, that's okay," Katie murmured, inclining her head toward the adjacent hospital bed in the room where Sheridan slept in exhaustion, "it looks like you're not the only one." Katie cupped her palm around Ali's silky cheek and bent down to kiss her forehead lightly. "Do you need anything? Do you want to watch some t.v. before Dr. Nick comes in to check on you?" Katie watched Ali's blue eyes flit over Sheridan's still form, and she knew the answer even before it left the little girl's lips. "No thank you, Katie. Mommy's real tired. Daddy says she and the baby need rest. Mommy doesn't listen to Daddy though. She's too stubborn." Katie laughed softly at Ali's matter-of-fact comment. "And your daddy knows it, doesn't he? Push the button if you need me, Ali. I need to call and check on Kendall and Noah, but I'll be back as soon as I'm finished. And I'll even bring Dr. Nick with me. He's going to talk to you about the transplant as soon as your daddy gets here." Katie lingered at the door for a few seconds, making sure Ali was indeed fine before she stepped outside and strode down the hall toward the nurses' desk. Ellie did little to conceal her curiosity as Katie answered Noah's breathless "Hello" with a smile on her lips and in her voice, and Katie turned her back on the nosy nurse, unconsciously twirling the phone cord around her fingers as she talked to her two favorite guys. Nick teasingly shook his dark head at Katie as he walked past, tapping his pen against Ali's chart. Katie blushed, and Nick bent his head to hide his smile at her reaction from her as she hurriedly ended the conversation and fell into step beside him. "Picking out china patterns yet?" "You're awfully chipper today," Katie stated, ignoring his good-natured teasing for the moment, "I wonder.what could be the reason? Maybe I should ask who instead." "Katie." Nick warned, gray eyes dancing at her even as his voice scolded her. "Nick," Katie singsonged, erupting into laughter at the strange looks they were receiving from passers-by, "Nick, come on. When are you going to wake up and smell the coffee?" Nick's gray eyes narrowed, and he tucked Ali's chart beneath his left arm as he lifted his other hand to knock the door. "What's that supposed to mean? No, really Katie," Nick continued when Katie's only answer was an exasperated roll of her green eyes, lowering his arm back to his side. "Are we talking about Abby again, Katie? If we are, I'd like to remind you again that my feelings for Abby are none of your business." "Feelings?" Katie shot him a triumphant grin, "At least you're finally admitting you have feelings for her." Nick restrained himself from cringing at the emphasis Katie put on the word 'feelings' and stared at her, blank-faced. "That's one step in the right direction. Three or four gigantic steps if you ask me.which, of course, you didn't," Katie hastily added, making her expression just as bland as Nick's with extreme difficulty. Nick raised his hand to the door again, poised to knock, and he heaved an impatient sigh when Katie looked to be bursting at the seams to say something else. "What now?" "It's just.I don't think we should go in there. Luis isn't here yet, and besides.Sheridan's sleeping, and you know much rest she's gotten in the past week with the scar e with Ali. The baby too," Katie reminded him. "Call Lopez-Fitzgerald, Katie. I promise I won't disturb either of them until he gets here," Nick promised when Katie looked at him skeptically. "I'm just going to look in on them." Three steps forward, two steps back, Katie thought with a frown as she watched Nick enter Ali's hospital room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Aunt Theresa?" Cristian's voice was soft, so soft Theresa hardly heard it over the lively music coming from the CD player in the corner. "Uh huh," Theresa answered, huffing at the dark tendril that had escaped her ponytail, falling into her eyes. She swept the paintbrush in her hand up and down the bare wall in front of her, smiling at the transformation. The yellow was brightening up the room already. Theresa figured it was about time for some light and happiness to revisit her brother's home again, even if it was just a little bit of paint. "What do you think, Cristian?" Theresa quizzed, turning to gauge her little nephew's reaction. The smile on her face dimmed immediately when she saw him, little face downcast, his arms wrapped around Max's furry golden shoulders as he tried to hide his tears from her. "Oh, Cristian," she whispered, laying her brush across the top of the paint bucket and crossing the newspaper-laden floor. A teardrop clinging to the tip of Cristian's nose fell, wetting the paper below and making the ink blur. "What is it? You know you can tell me anything," Theresa encouraged as she knelt in front of him, cupping her palm around his damp cheek and waiting. Finally, Cristian looked up at her, and Theresa felt like a fist was squeezing her heart when he asked her a question she really didn't feel equipped to answer. "What if my cells are bad and don't make Ali better?" Theresa crawled over to the space beside Cristian and linked her arm around his tiny waist, pulling him against her side in a tight, breath-stealing hug. "Your cells won't be bad, Cristian." Cristian rubbed his tear-streaked cheek against the soft material of Theresa's loose-fitting, ratty Harmony High sweatshirt, and Theresa had to strain her ears to hear his muffled reply. "But what if they are? What if Ali gets sicker? What if." Theresa stroked her fingers through Cristian's thick dark hair, tickling her nails against his scalp in the hopes of calming him like thousands of times before, but she knew this time was much, much different. She pressed her lips against Cristian's warm skin and pulled him more fully into her lap, bringing them eye to eye. Knowing eyes, she realized as she wiped each and every last tear from his cheeks with the sleeve of her shirt. Eyes that recognized the truth when they saw it, she thought, taking a deep breath and reaching inside herself for the strength to the little boy the truth she knew he deserved. "Cristian.IF.IF the transplant doesn't work, and Ali doesn't get any better, it won't be your fault. Look at me, Cristian," she urged when he tried to turn away from her, not believing her words. Cristian's chin trembled, and fresh tears pooled in the corners of his open, innocent brown eyes as she rubbed her fingers over and over the smooth skin of his tiny hands and talked to him. "It won't be anybody's fault. But you know what? I," Theresa paused to press a kiss to each brown cheek and then one to the pink-tipped nose, "have all the faith in the world that as much as God loves and wants Ali, we-your mommy, your daddy, you and me and Nana and Grandpa Martin, Jake, all of us-we love and want her even more. And God understands that, and He's going to help us through the scary stuff. I don't think it'd hurt to remind Him every chance we get though. Do you want to say a prayer for Ali with me, Cristian?" Cristian nodded his dark head in affirmation, and Theresa closed her eyes, willing the painful clench of her heart to relax and let her love for Ali and Cristian give her peace, not pain because of its intensity. "Cristian? Where are you going?" she asked, brown eyes flying open when she felt his weight shift off of her lap. The golden retriever whined beside her, rubbing its muzzle against her palm as it sought affection, and Theresa patted his head absently as she waited for Cristian to speak. "I want to make sure God hears us," Cristian explained, turning the CD player off. The newspaper rustled under their knees as they each closed their eyes and started praying softly, and Theresa's own voice faded to silence as the echo of Cristian's heartfelt, pleading words reached her ears. Her brown eyes were wet with her own tears by the time Cristian's prayer was over, and she pulled him into a tight hug until she felt the emotion subside a little. Never one to miss out on family hugs, Max insinuated himself in between them, and Theresa released Cristian, giggling girlishly as the dog licked at her face and thumped his tail against the floor. "You're nothing but an overgrown puppy, you know that?" she smiled, scratching behind the dog's ears as she climbed to her feet. "Wanna help?" Theresa asked, picking up the paintbrush she'd abandoned earlier. "Really?" Cristian said in disbelief, looking so adorably awestruck at her offer Theresa just had to laugh. "Really. There's a couple more brushes on the kitchen counter if you want to get them. I'll put us some more music on, and we'll have this nursery finished in no time." "What about me? Can I help too?" Theresa's smile grew even brighter at the enthusiastic greeting Cristian gave Ethan, and she knew she didn't have the heart to disappoint either of them. "Are you sure you're up to it?" she challenged teasingly, arching a dark brow at him as he handed the manila envelope he'd arrived with to Cristian and stepped into the room. "Are you kidding?" Ethan scoffed, blue eyes twinkling as he removed his suit jacket and unbuttoned the cuffs of his starched shirt to roll the sleeves up. "It's just a little paint." "Uh huh," Theresa giggled, turning her attention back to the wall in front of her. Just a little paint.  
  
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"And your number? 555." Abby's pen scratched over a blue post-it note as the voice on the other end of the phone slowly recited the number for her. ".your old one was disconnected..Yes.You weren't the easiest woman to find, Mrs. Jenkins.Okay. Molly it is.I'm sorry you couldn't make it.He'll love hearing from you though.Thank you.That'd be nice.I'd love to meet you. Anytime.Listen, Molly.my 10:00 is here.Tonight.Bye, bye." Abby hung up the phone, tucking the blue post-it into her jacket pocket before rising from her seat and meeting the man she'd secretly dubbed 'Mr. Pissy Pants' halfway. The man NEVER smiled, wearing instead a perpetually pissed expression, thus pissing HER off. She'd like nothing better than to never lay eyes on him again, but she had Mr. Homan to think of. Dear, sweet Mr. Homan who just so happened to be nowhere in sight Abby stepped forward, crowding the man's personal space, and glared up at him expectantly. "I thought we'd cleared this up when you asked me to be your father-in-law's therapist again. For reasons I can't even fathom, seeing me is obviously unpleasant to you. Which is WHY we agreed.or so I THOUGHT.that you wouldn't come to his sessions. I'm not going to hurt him or rub off on him. I swear. Scout's honor. Even though I was only technically a scout for a day and a half," Abby drifted off subject, raking her fingers through her tawny hair and pulling it into a messy ponytail. What the hell?! Abby's hazel eyes went wide as she watched a muscle in Mr. Pissy Pants's jaw twitch, and the sour expression slowly transformed into a half-smile. A pitiful half-smile, but a half-smile to be sure. "Careful," she warned, tongue firmly in cheek, "you might hurt yourself. I'm sure those muscles are just screaming in protestation right now, huh? Oh my God! Now he's.you're laughing. Why are you laughing? Was there a pod beside your bed this morning when you woke up?" "No, but I'm wondering if I should go home and double-check. Actually." Pod Man lowered his head in what could be.yeah.looked like shame. "A funny thing happened to me this morning when I was helping Dad get dressed for his appointment." "Tell me about it, 'cause this." Abby waved her arm about, pointing directly at him, "you. smiling.it's definitely freaking me out." She perched on the edge of her desk, arms crossed across her chest, as she regarded Pod Man like he was.well, like he was an alien from outer space. Which, in all likelihood, he WAS. Nothing could convince her she was wrong on this count. "I realized I've been unfair to you. For reasons even **I** can't explain." he paused at Abby's snort of laughter. "You're what he needs right now. Yes, I'm still concerned that you look so much like her- he still gets so confused. But, from only a couple sessions, I can see a difference in him. He's not so defeated. He's." "Hopeful?" Abby supplied. "So.the Reader's Digest condensed version.you finally realized I wasn't the devil incarnate. Good for you. What color sucker you want?" she asked, hazel eyes twinkling as she picked out two lollipops, one red, the other purple, and handed them to him. "Don't be selfish. Be sure to save one for Lissy. See you in 60, Pod Man. There's something I want to discuss with Mr. Homan so we'll be a little later than usual." "Just so you know.it's Christopher.Chris. For future reference. Pod Man's already getting old," he explained, tucking the suckers in his shirt pocket. "I still don't think you're a good influence," he called after her as she backed down the hallway toward Mr. Homan's wheelchair. "That's okay," Abby grinned, giving him a wink as she grabbed the handles and started pushing Mr. Homan forward. "NOBODY does."  
  
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"Do you have any questions about the transplant, Ali?" Nick inquired, handing Ali's chart to Katie as he leaned forward and took one of Ali's small hands in his own. "I know I told you a lot of information, but I don't want you to let it scare you. I'm going to take care of you, Ali. I promise." "I know, Dr. Nick," Ali said quietly, letting go of Nick's hand and leaning back into Sheridan's comforting embrace tiredly. "My medicine will be stronger, and it might make me sicker." "But you need the stronger medicine so you'll be ready for the new bone marrow, AliCat," Luis explained, removing one of his hands from Sheridan's shoulders to clasp Ali's hand. "Will I have to stay in that hospital room you told me about all by myself?" Ali's blue eyes searched Nick's gray eyes for answers. "My daddy has to give me kisses every night," she whispered, her sweet voice cracking. "You won't be by alone, Ali. You'll have lots of people that care about you nearby, including me and Katie. But your medicine is going to make you weak, and you remember when I explained your immune system to you, Ali?" Ali nodded slowly, little golden brow creased in slight confusion as she grabbed Sheridan's hands in her own, nervously twisting the rings on her fingers around and around. "Well, your immune system's going to be 'sick' for a while, Ali, and it's not going to be able to take as good of care of you as it normally does. That means we're going to have to help it, and one of the ways we're going to do that is by wearing gowns, gloves, and masks to protect it and you from our germs. Whoever visits you will have to wear the gowns, gloves, and masks. Do you understand, Ali?" "Yeah. I guess I do," Ali murmured softly, lifting Sheridan's hands to her cheek and rubbing her face against them as she studied Nick solemnly. "How long will I have to stay in there?" "A few weeks," Nick answered her, "Until we can be sure you're well, and Cristian's bone marrow works." "You won't hurt Cristian, will you?" Ali's voice rose an octave as her agitation at the possibility grew, 'Cause if you're going to hurt him, I don't want the transplant. You can't hurt my brother. You can't scare him either. I won't let you." "Does Cristian know how lucky he is to have you as his big sister?" Katie spoke for the first time, offering Ali a bright smile. Ali ducked her head to hide her smile at Katie's comment. "Cristian will be asleep. He'll be a little sore when he wakes up, but he won't feel it when we take his bone marrow, Ali. Your little brother is very, very brave to do something like this for you, and he wants to help you more than anything so I don't think he'll be frightened at all." "But you're going to use a needle to get it," Ali frowned, "Cristian HATES needles. They make him cry." "Cristian knows about the needles, Sweetie," Sheridan murmured, slipping her arms around Ali's shoulders and hugging her close, "and he STILL wants to help you." "He does, AliCat," Luis echoed his wife's words. "You know he loves you BEST," he teased, meeting Ali's blue, blue eyes. "Looks like we have all the bases covered, Doll," Katie told Ali, blinking back her own tears at Ali's concern for Cristian. "Trust us, okay?" "Okay," Ali whispered in response. "Dr. Nick.I'm ready. Make me better." Chapter 74 "Just a little paint, huh?" Theresa teased when Ethan plopped down in the barstool at Cristian's left. "You have a little smudge," she leaned forward, across the counter, and dabbed at Ethan's cheek with the dishtowel in her hand, "right.there. Got it. And you," she turned to Cristian with a giggle, oblivious to Ethan's blue eyes following her every motion, "look like you're wearing war paint." Cristian giggled as she dropped the dishtowel on the bar and zeroed in on his tummy with her questing fingers, tickling him silly. "Stop! Stop, Aunt Theresa! Please," Cristian gasped breathlessly, squirming away from her and off the stool. "No!" he shrieked, darting out of the kitchen when she started to advance on him again. The open happiness of her smile and the affection evident in her brown eyes brought a smile to Ethan's own lips, and for a brief moment, he wanted to touch the sun again and remember the scary thrill of living life wide open, without the cautious sensibility that ruled his days. "Ethan? Ethan, have you heard a word I've said?" Theresa waved a hand in front of his face with a goofy smile on her face at his blank expression. "I'm sorry, Theresa," Ethan apologized, shaking his head to clear it of his earlier thoughts, "you, uh." "Lost you for a second?" Theresa teased, tucking a dark strand of hair back behind her ear as she whirled around and pulled open the refrigerator, brown eyes scanning its contents. "I asked if you wanted to stay for dinner. Chad's still in New York, and Luis will probably only pop in for a change of clothes and to spend a little time with Cristian before he heads back to the hospital. Cristian and I would love the company. Beth's invited too. You can go into the living room and call her while I get dinner started." "Theresa, I." Ethan began awkwardly. "I won't take 'no' for an answer, Mister. Get on the phone and call your wife," Theresa ordered, falling into giggles again at the slightly stunned expression on Ethan's face as he got up from his stool and walked into the living room. "Wife. It still feels so weird saying that." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Face it, Sam. Hook, line, and sinker," Hank nodded in Noah and Kendall's direction with a grin. "Hell. I'm surprised Grace doesn't have him calling her 'Grandma' already. What's one more? This place is already teeming over with little boys. Sar included," Hank couldn't resist adding his tomboyish daughter to the ranks. "It's getting serious," Sam agreed, though not as lightheartedly as his brother. "He's joining the Harmony P.D." Hank's brown eyes took in the exhausted slump of his brother's shoulders, and his unwillingness to meet his eyes. "What gives, Sam? You're not acting like the proud father." Sam sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his jaw as he glanced at Noah keeping Kendall amused across the living room. "I'm just not sure if it's really what he wants. You know Noah, Hank." "Yeah. I know Noah, and doubts only make him work harder to prove you wrong. Let him make his own mistakes.not that I'm so sure he's making one." Hank was quick to add. "Noah," Grace called, appearing at the kitchen entranceway, "Do you want to give Kendall his dinner or should I do it?" "Thanks, Mom. I'll do it," Noah answered, standing up and hefting Kendall over his head. The little boy's face froze into a momentary expression of panic until Noah lurched forward, making airplane noises, then he was all smiles and shrieking giggles. "Hook, line, and sinker, Sam," Hank repeated when the pair had disappeared into the kitchen. "Think they'll take the little tyke on the honeymoon?" Grace's blue eyes twinkled at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a quick hug, and Hank winked at his brother before planting a noisy kiss on Grace's cheek and making her laugh. "Stay for dinner?" Grace asked, leaning back into her husband's waiting arms. "Applesauce and that nasty-looking green stuff?" Hank asked with a melodramatic shudder. "I'll save my appetite, thanks. I have to pick up the girls from Becs's before Sar calls 9-1-1 again just to see her turn purple with panic when the entire police force shows up, sirens flashing. The lecture Luis gave her went in one ear and out the other. He could barely keep a straight face," Hank remembered with a chuckle. "Listen.thanks, Grace, for the invitation, but me and the girls are going to pick up a couple pizzas on our way home and have them waiting when Gwen and the Little Buddy get back from the hospital. Say bye to Noah and Kendall for me. See you, Sam," Hank promised as he tugged his leather jacket on and opened the door, grinning as he tipped his imaginary hat to the new arrival standing there with her hand poised in the air, ready to knock. "Katie Bennett has kind of a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Hank couldn't resist one last parting shot. "And he wonders where Sara gets it from," Sam muttered under his breath, chuckling at Katie's flaming cheeks as Grace invited her inside.  
  
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"Wondering what they're talking about in there?" Gwen smirked, tugging gently on Sheridan's arm. "Come on, Sher. You don't want to be the kind of mother that's constantly butting into your kid's love life, do you, because it looks like you're getting a head start." Gwen laughed at the slightly stricken expression on her friend's face, steering her down the hall toward the nearest row of chairs. "Is it possible to have a love life at 9 years old?" Sheridan asked. "This from the woman who admits to dreaming about a tall, dark stranger rescuing her since she was a little girl? How did you feel about that stranger, Sher? Even when you thought it was silly, you loved him. You had a love life. Of sorts," Gwen couldn't keep a straight face, especially not with Sheridan rolling her eyes beside her. "Okay. So maybe I'm stretching it a little. Now, sit down before Luis gets one of those gut feelings of his and drives all the way back here just to read me the riot act about not keeping you off your feet." "Just a little," Sheridan agreed, following Gwen's 'suggestion' without complaint for once. "Read YOU the riot act? What about me?" "The man loves you, Sheridan. He knows you're too stubborn to listen to a damned thing he says. That, dear friend, is why he's going to read ME the riot act for not keeping you in line so behave," Gwen muttered, shifting in her seat and craning her neck in the direction of Ali's hospital room, "I wonder what they're talking about in there."  
  
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".and she hit him with the ball! You should have seen Dad, Ali. His eyes got all big like this," Jake demonstrated, making his brown eyes as wide as possible, "and he staggered around like his legs were made of jello." Ali propped her chin on top of her pink bunny and curled her legs beneath herself, giggling as Jake stumbled around her hospital room. He really did look like Uncle Hank. Just.not much smaller. "Then he flopped onto the ground, kind of like a fish, and played dead until Sara ran from 2nd base to check on him. Sara was so mad when Dad tagged her out. She bugged him and bugged him, and Dad's going to sign her and Emmy up to play tee-ball when it gets warmer. Your aunt Theresa's supposed to ask your mom and dad if Cristian can play with them. Has she?" "I don't know," Ali answered, "I don't think so." "Anyway," Jake continued, "Dad says it'll toughen them up for kindergarten next year, but I don't think Sar needs toughening up. Do you, Ali? She's mean enough. Mom says she learned it all from me," Jake told her, puffing his chest out somewhat proudly. "I don't think you're mean," Ali revealed in a soft voice that made Jake feel even more proud, and he walked back over to the side of Ali's bed with a self-satisfied grin. Ali scooted over on the bed to make room for him, and they sat side by side, watching cartoons together and laughing at them from time to time. Just like old times, Jake thought, casting a sidelong glance in Ali's direction and smiling just because she was smiling. Girl or not, he'd missed having her around something awful, he realized, unconsciously inching closer to her until their shoulders touched. And he felt he ought to tell her or somehow show her how much, considering, and his mouth opened once or twice before a noise ever came out in high-pitched word that sounded something like her name. "Ali. No, no! Don't.don't look over here," Jake panicked, sure his heart was going to beat right out of his chest when her pretty blue eyes were suddenly staring at him. "Don't look," he pleaded, wiping his newly sweaty palms on the legs of his jeans, "just.just close your eyes so I can.so. okay, Ali? Keep 'em closed." Ali's pale lashes fluttered against her cheeks, and Jake gulped nervously as he did the same and silently counted to three before his lips touched Ali's cheek in a kiss as gentle and quick as the brush of a butterfly's wings. Jake blushed under the sparkling brilliance of Ali's answering smile and ducked his dark head in embarrassment, shrugging his shoulders as he muttered under his breath. "I didn't get you a present for your birthday so." Ali's hand crept across the tiny distance between them, and Jake felt a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when he felt her small fingers slide through his. "If you tell anybody."  
  
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She was singing (badly) at the top of her lungs to the loud rock music that filled the entire apartment and dancing around the small interior of the kitchen with a total lack of inhibition, and Nick loved it. He leaned against the wall, cast in shadow, and just observed her, a smile of amusement on his lips as she tried to do five things at once. Before his very eyes, what he assumed to be their dinner went up in smoke, and apparently Abby decided 'to hell with it,' tossing the skillet-food and all- into the sink. He chuckled when she ran one manicured nail down the takeout list posted on the fridge and started relaying the choices to the black furball rubbing itself against his legs in search of affection. "What do you think, Lucky? Are you in the mood for leftover Chinese or Italian? What's that? Chinese? Out of luck, you ball of fur. Italian sounds better for a nice, romantic." Nick knew the moment she saw him. Her jaw fell open, and those hazel eyes he was so fond of flashed with utter surprise while the words "birthday dinner" left her mouth in a stunned whisper. He tossed his jacket across the back of the chair closest to him and stepped forward, loosening the knot of his tie. "Did I say romantic?" Abby babbled. "I really meant." she fished for a replacement word, finally settling on one she really seemed to like, "ruined. Like ruined surprise! Geez, some people call when they're coming home early." "Really?" Nick smirked, taking the phone out of her hand and setting it down on the kitchen counter. "I thought it was the other way around. It's not a ruined surprise," he told her, taking her hand and pulling her into the living room as the CD's switched in the CD player, and a slow song started playing. "I don't think anyone's ever celebrated my birthday before. Thank you." Nick was pleased with how well they moved together. He slowly spun her around, making her laugh as he started to maneuver them both toward his open bedroom. She was still babbling about the cake when the lock clicked into place, and his fingers undid the tiny pearl buttons down the front of her shirt, peeling it from her shoulders and arms to let it fall to the floor. "Not that I'm complaining," Abby whispered later, hazel eyes smiling directly into gray and arms resting low on Nick's waist as they lay side by side, facing each other, "but all of our 'dates' end up the same. You kiss me. I kiss you. Before you know it, we're both naked." she trailed off as Nick's hand slipped beneath the sheets at their waists, hooking under her knee and draping her thigh across his hip as he pulled her even closer to him. Abby shivered as his knuckles brushed against the side of her breast, and her nails dug lightly into his lower back as the same hand continued traveling down her side, barely skimming her skin until it came to rest at the small of her back, directly over her tattoo. "So it takes more than just great sex and feeding you to keep you around?" Nick teased, running his hand along her thigh as he leaned forward to steal a tiny kiss from her lips. "Don't you mean phenomenal sex? A little conversation would be nice," Abby smirked, "and not of the drunken or fever-induced variety." Nick's hand left her thigh, and his fingers were gentle as he tucked a strand of tawny hair falling across her eyes like a veil behind her ear. "I'll forget everything you told me about him if you want me to." Abby pressed her mouth against the thumb that traced over her lips and shook her head. "Okay," Nick murmured. "We're both sober.talk to me. What's your favorite color?" "Favorite color, huh? Depends on my mood. Right now I'd have to say gray," Abby answered, hazel eyes twinkling. "That one was too easy. Ask me something else." Nick's palm opened over the small of her back, and his fingers traced the brilliant pattern he knew to be there. "The sun.why?" Abby took her time in replying, so long Nick began to wonder why a seemingly simple question was so hard to answer. "I lost my whole world in one night, but I needed to believe life would go on," she whispered, hazel eyes vulnerable and shimmering with sudden tears. 'Corny, huh?" she said, her laugh ending up sounding more like a sob. Nick pulled her into a tight hug, wishing her hurt away. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Luis tucked the covers in around his sleeping son's shoulders, running a loving hand over Cristian's cheek before he crept away in the darkness, careful not to wake him. He pulled the door shut behind him, his dark eyes thanking Theresa without words when she handed him the duffel bag filled with Sheridan's and Ali's things, and he hugged her close before releasing her and walking into the kitchen where Ethan and Beth remained. "Beth.Ethan.Thanks for coming. Sorry I can't stay longer, but." "It's okay, Luis," Beth spoke reassuringly, wrapping her arms around him in a friendly embrace and kissing his cheek. "Ethan," Luis offered his hand to the younger man, giving Ethan's hand a firm shake. "Theresa, didn't you say Sheridan had some mail?" Luis asked, jingling his keys in his pocket as he waited for his sister to retrieve the mail for him. "I think this is it," Theresa told him, handing him a heaping stack of mail-mostly cards filled with well wishes for Ali and the family. Luis flipped through the stash quickly, removing a few items and handing them off to Theresa. "You know what, Sis? Why don't you keep most of this? I don't have time to go through everything tonight. I'll be back in the morning. Theresa, I'm so sorry," Luis apologized, kneeling beside his sister when the mail fluttered to the kitchen floor. "It was my fault. I let go too soon. Let me." Ethan paled when Luis's hand closed over the manila envelope he'd brought over earlier, now open with papers scattered in plain sight, and Beth looked at him in concern. "Ethan, aren't those the documents you brought over for Sheridan this morning?" Theresa commented innocently, picking one of the papers up and handing it to her brother. "Documents, Ethan? What kind of." Luis's voice trailed off as he scanned the paper. "Sheridan's trust fund? What the hell is going on here?" Chapter 75  
  
"What happened to the Little Buddy, Babe?" Hank's voice was a low whisper in Gwen's ear. "He's grinning like he won the lottery." Gwen glanced at their son, sitting at the kitchen table with his sisters and enjoying pepperoni pizza, and remembered the matching brilliant smile on Ali's sweet face as they'd said their goodbyes a few short hours ago. "Maybe he did," Gwen answered, smirking at her husband. "Bennett.what do you think would have happened if we'd met as children?" "Hate at first sight. Definitely. The little debutante and Luis's shrimpy sidekick?" Hank grinned. "No way. Luis always got the girl-and I annoyed the hell out of her." "You mean you didn't have an Ali?" Gwen teased, bringing her glass of iced water to her lips. "There was this one girl.Hell. Beth wanted Luis, too," Hank admitted, looking crestfallen for nearly half a second before the grin was back, and he was reaching for her and setting the glass on the kitchen counter, pulling her up against him and making her laugh down at him. "Let me fix that," Gwen murmured, toeing off her heels. She lifted a hand to her mouth to cover the wide smile when her gesture didn't do much at all to fix the height differential. "Too bad for Becs that you proved my theory wrong," Hank said, not looking sorry at all, "I guess opposites DO attract. Some of them anyway." Gwen laughed softly as she leaned forward to bestow a quick kiss on his cheek. "Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are overrated. I'll take the shrimpy sidekick any old day." "Are you saying you're my Ali, Babe?" Hank couldn't resist asking. Gwen sneaked another glance at their grinning son over her shoulder and turned back to Hank, who was wearing a remarkably similar expression. "Does that make you my Jake? Are you going to wipe away my kisses, Bennett?" she teased, arching a golden brow at him. "Fat chance. You see there is where the Little Buddy and I differ. I would NEVER pass up the chance to be kissed by a beautiful woman.I mean a woman as beautiful as you.I mean.now would be a good time to shut me up with a kiss before I choke to death on my own foot," Hank suggested, flashing her a sheepish smile. "Really, Bennett," Gwen said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at him as she snaked her arms around his neck, "if I didn't love you." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "If I didn't know better, I'd say someone is jealous," Abby teased Nick, hazel eyes dancing as she set the bags of food she'd just paid the delivery guy for on the kitchen table. "You answered the door naked," Nick muttered, removing the cartons of Chinese food from the bags while Abby searched the cabinets for a couple of glasses. "I wasn't naked," Abby laughed, standing on tiptoe to grab two goblets from the top shelf, "I had your shirt on, and it's ten sizes too big. He couldn't see anything, Nick, and anyway.he wasn't looking. From what I could tell, he was barely out of braces. That driver's license he carries in his wallet is probably all of two weeks old." Nick's gray eyes took in the mussed tawny hair framing her face, the kiss-swollen lips, and the lightly tanned skin that seemed to be showing everywhere despite the white dress shirt that, in all honesty, swallowed her petite frame whole, and he repeated his earlier words, "He was definitely looking." "Okay, maybe he was," Abby relented, hiding her smile from him as she poured two glasses of wine, "it's not like you have to worry about him stealing me away. I'm afraid you're stuck with me.as long as you want me," Abby added quietly, slightly embarrassed at her slip of the tongue. Damn her babbling mouth! Just because he was slightly jealous didn't mean he was actually in love with her or anything like that. "I'm not sure Chinese and birthday cake mix all that well," she blurted before any words could leave Nick's mouth, "but you're the birthday boy, and whatever you want." Nick swept her tawny hair off her shoulder, pressing his lips against her neck and smiling when she shivered against him. "Whatever I want?" he asked, reaching over her shoulder and bypassing the glasses for the entire bottle of wine. "Aren't you coming?" he grinned, pausing in the doorway to his bedroom and looking so damned delectable Abby had half a mind to forget all about dinner for the second time that evening if she didn't have knots forming in her stomach at that precise moment. Dear God. Why did it suddenly bother her so much to think Nick's feelings for her didn't.that he didn't."Give me a minute, will you?" she finally trusted her voice enough to answer him. "Don't take too long," Nick told her, crossing the threshold and pulling the door closed behind him. Abby immediately whirled around, searching for the cordless phone. golly , golly , golly . MJ was right. Hank didn't know the half of it. She was in SERIOUS trouble here, and WHY the hell was she just realizing it? She punched the numbers frantically without thinking, slamming the phone down on the counter when an answering machine picked up on the other end and Miguel's voice asking her to leave a message presented her with an awful reminder. The one person, the only person, capable of calming her at this moment was gone. God, Abby. Calm down, she silently berated herself, don't freak out because you realize you lo.She couldn't even say the words to herself. She was WAY past freaking out. "Abby?" Abby jumped nearly two feet into the air at the sound of Nick's voice so close by. Nick reached past her to pick up the ringing phone, and the knots in Abby's stomach coiled even tighter at the sadness in his gray eyes as he turned the phone off. "Nick?" "I.I have to leave, Abby. Will you call the airport and get me on the next flight to Boston? I'll call Dr. Matthews on my cell and ask him to oversee Ali's treatment for a couple days." Nick's voice trailed off as he disappeared into the bedroom. Abby stared at the phone Nick had left in her hand in dumbfound silence. What the hell had just happened? 


	16. Chapter 76

Chapter 76  
  
"Luis took the news better than I expected," Ethan mused, cupping his hands around the steaming mug of coffee Beth had just presented to him, "he didn't hit me." "Lucky for you," Beth told him, hoping the twinkle in her eyes wasn't completely visible, "I still think she should have told him from the beginning though, Ethan. The look in his eyes." she trailed off with a sigh as she took the seat opposite him. "It was Aunt Sheridan's." Ethan's spoon clinked against the ceramic mug as he stirred his coffee, and his blue eyes narrowed when the bells at the front of the Book Café tinkled, "decision. Mother didn't come home last night before I fell asleep. She's always at the cottage. Do you think they're sleeping together?" Beth gave Ivy and Shane a friendly wave then turned back to Ethan to find him pouting like a child. "It's their business, Ethan. What do you care? Your mother seems happy. I think Shane's good for her. God, you're so territorial about the women in your life. You may want to rethink your ideas that you and Luis don't have anything in common," Beth rolled her eyes, getting up from her seat and meeting Shane and Ivy halfway. "Territorial? I'm not territorial. I do not urinate on Mother's leg," Ethan muttered to himself, thinking it best to hide his gnashing teeth behind his coffee mug as Shane approached. And he used to like the man. "Morning, Ethan," Shane nodded, "mind if I.?" "Take it. Make yourself welcome," Ethan added under his breath. "Good morning, Darling," Ivy descended on them, giving Shane a special smile that had Ethan seeing red while Beth just groaned softly beside him. She expected a 'Mother, what about me?' to spill from Ethan's frowning mouth any minute now. "How was your dinner last night, Dear?" Ivy asked distractedly, smiling at something Shane whispered in her ear. "Dinner was fine until Luis nearly killed me for helping Aunt Sheridan keep a secret from him," Ethan answered her, pleased with the realization he now had her full attention. "Ethan!" Beth hissed, "Ivy, he's exaggerating. Luis was upset. That's all." "It's the money, isn't it?" Ivy surmised. "No matter how much they love each other, Sheridan's money-Crane money, has always been an issue with Luis because of his feelings toward Julian and Alistar," Ivy explained to Shane. "But his hate for Sheridan's Crane money pales in comparison to his love for her and the children. I hope he remembers that."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "I can't do it. Names are hard, Daddy," Ali sighed, dropping her pencil and notepad to her lap and crossing her arms about her chest. "Names ARE hard, AliCat," Luis agreed, perching on the edge of Ali's bed and cupping her stubbornly set jaw in the palm of his hand. "Your mommy and I didn't know what we were going to name you either, but from the moment we laid eyes on you, we knew you were definitely an 'Ali'." "Daddy," Ali giggled, helpless to hide the blush on her cheeks under Luis's intent gaze. "But it's Aunt Theresa's store. Store names are different." "The store will name itself. Now your new baby sister." Luis teased, "that's another story. Got any suggestions, AliCat?" Ali's blue eyes twinkled with excitement. "You mean I get to name the new baby too? What about Cristian? She's his baby too." A gentle smile graced Sheridan's lips at Ali's newfound energy and hopefulness, and her sleep-heavy lids fluttered open at Ali's comment. "She's everybody's baby," she answered, easing herself into a sitting position carefully, "and maybe we should meet her first before we give her a name. We don't want to name her Esmeralda if she's really more of an Ariel, do we?" Ali giggled, "What if she's a Jasmine?" "Or a Pocahontas?" Sheridan responded, causing Ali to giggle even harder and flash Luis a brilliant smile. "Pocahontas Lopez-Fitzgerald," Ali tried it out, her button nose scrunching up, "Mommy, that sounds." "Weird?" Sheridan laughed, standing up and taking a seat on Ali's free side. Ali gladly accepted her kiss good morning, wrapping her arms around her neck and smiling into her eyes. "Ms. Kinsay'd have to give her two sheets of paper to write her name on." "Are you two making fun of my name?" Luis's tone was teasing, but the humor didn't seem to reach his eyes. "Sort of," Ali admitted with a sheepish smile, "but it's my name too, Daddy, and I like it." "Who? Me? I LOVE my name," Sheridan went one step further than Ali, her bright smile freezing with Luis's "Which one?" "Mommy?" Ali's blue eyes welled with concern as an awkward silence descended on the room, and her parents seemed to stare at each other for several minutes without saying anything. She didn't understand what was going on, and it scared her. "Lopez-Fitzgerald, Daddy," Ali answered for her mother. "Mommy, is something wrong?" Ali whispered worriedly. She gripped her daddy's forearms are he cupped his big hands around her face and kissed her on the forehead. "Nothing's wrong, AliCat." Ali looked to her mommy for confirmation, and her relief was only minimal when Sheridan answered her by nodding her head and telling her nothing was wrong. If nothing was wrong, why did she sound like something was? "Mommy, do you want to see the new cards Daddy brought me?" Ali asked, hoping to bring the beautiful smile back to her mommy's face, "You got some mail too. It's in this really big envelope. Daddy won't tell me what it is, but it looks really important. Here," Ali handed over the manila envelope, watching her mommy's face expectantly as she carefully drew a bunch of papers out and scanned over them. "These are.Luis. Luis, wait. Luis, don't." "Good morning, Ali.Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Dr. Matthews greeted with a smile as he entered the room on the heels of her daddy's departure, adding to Ali's already mounting confusion, "There's been a slight change of plans. Dr. Taylor's been called out of town, and he asked me to oversee your treatment for the next couple of days. Provided there are no objections. Are there any?"  
  
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"You're lucky I love you more than my luggage," Abby winked at Miguel as she dumped the load of clothes in her arms into the washer, "I don't get all domestic for anybody." "Abby, you didn't have to." Miguel protested half-heartedly before Abby cut him off. "Things are crazy. From the looks of MJ's and Joshua's not-so-white clothes, you need the expertise of someone that knows how to wash colors. You need a woman like me," she told him with a teasing grin as she patted his cheek affectionately, "I promise. That wasn't a come-on." Miguel laughed, a sound so foreign from his lips these past few months Abby wasn't sure she'd really heard it. "Good. You still know how to do it. Have you eaten, Miguel? I'm not the cook Pilar is, but I'm not too shabby. Kay taught me how to make Joshua's favorite omelet.I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.She's been on my mind a lot lately," Abby divulged with a shaky sigh, grateful as Miguel opened his arms to her, and she felt them wrap around her tightly, "I miss her." "It's okay," Miguel reassured her, "Everybody's been so careful not to mention her name lately, but all I really want to do is talk about her with someone else that was close to her. That knew the same Kay I knew." Abby offered Miguel a watery smile when his arms fell away from her. "You know what? An omelet sounds nice. I'll go wake Joshua." "Joshua.quiet," Miguel raised a finger to his lips during one of his son's infrequent pauses in making a royal racket with the various pots and pans at his feet. Abby waved him off as she dried the last dish and placed it back in the cupboard, "He's just making up for lost time, Dad. Seriously, Miguel.he's not bothering me. Sit down. Talk. We can spill our guts to each other, and I won't tell a soul. We're not actually engaging in 'girl' talk. Although I don't know what you'd call it if.well, anyway.I'll go first." Abby reached for Miguel's hand, giving it a friendly squeeze. "Something happened last night, something completely unexpected, and I freaked out. And. naturally.I called her," Abby's voice was thick with emotion, "I called Kay, and your voice came over the telephone. Just your voice on the answering machine. And it hit me. Right here." Miguel's dark eyes lowered to his and Abby's joined hands resting over her heart, and he looked back up to find her hazel eyes filled with tears. "I mean really hit me. Her absence was suddenly so REAL to me. And you don't want to listen to this because it IS real to you and the boys. It's BEEN real. Miguel, I'm sorry. I'm being selfish and insensitive." Abby cried as Miguel pulled her into his arms again, burying her face in the crook of his neck and holding onto him for dear life. "No, you're being honest, Abby," Miguel murmured, stroking her tawny hair somewhat awkwardly, "You're being you." "Yeah," Abby sniffed, pulling away from him and wiping her nose with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, "a blubbering big mouth. Your turn, Miguel. And the whole gratuitous boob grabbage? Still not a come-on. I swear. I'm in love with a man in love with an illusion, and I don't know what the hell to do about it. Point is I'm taken. Whether I can help it or not. Anytime now, Miguel. Geez.when I said spill our guts, I didn't mean for things to get so messy. Talk. Please." "I was counting to 50," Miguel teased her gently, "it was a trick Kay always used when she was waiting to get a word in edgewise." "Again.you're lucky I love you and yours more than my luggage. Your ass would have been so kicked," Abby laughed softly as she got up to refill their coffee mugs, "Look at me. Like I need more caffeine. You're fresh out of juice. Hell. You're fresh out of everything. When's the last time you went shopping?" "I thought it was my turn to talk," Miguel grinned, lifting his impatient son up and perching him on the edge of the kitchen counter. "Hi, Joshua," Abby crooned, stroking the sunny cheeks with the pads of her fingers as the two of them shared a smile, "how would you like if it I took you and your daddy shopping?" Joshua answered her with a giggle, looping his arms around her neck and twining his short legs around her waist. He patted her tawny hair softly as she hitched him onto her hip and turned to Miguel. "Actions speak louder than words. Grab your wallet, Miguel." "He loves women," Miguel chuckled, shrugging on his jacket and stuffing his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. "All Lopez-Fitzgerald men do," Abby treated him to another roll of her hazel eyes, "Come on. You know you'll have more fun with me than Pilar or Grace. I'll even let you buy junk food." "Don't you have to work?" Miguel asked with a tiny smirk. "Work? Shame on you for saying four-letter words in front of your young, impressionable son. This is Harmony. Nobody works in this town," Abby winked as she draped Joshua's heavy jacket around his tiny shoulders, "They all canceled. It seems nobody, including Nick, wants my company today so you understand why you can't refuse me, don't you? I'll be crushed." "Okay, but I'm driving," Miguel told her, "and I'm buying as much junk food as I want." "You've got a deal," Abby grinned.  
  
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It was windier on the rooftop, and the air seemed colder. Crisper somehow. She knew, looking at his strong profile, that he probably regretted his actions earlier in Ali's hospital room, but that thought brought her little comfort. Luis's strange behavior along with Nick's mysterious absence had really thrown Ali, and it hadn't been much of a surprise to Sheridan when Ali burst into tears just seconds after Dr. Matthews's harmless enough question. After all, she'd felt much the same way. One minute they'd been laughing together. The next minute she'd felt like her heart was in her throat. "I'm not sorry I did it, Luis. I'm just sorry I didn't tell you from the beginning," she told him, taking careful steps toward him across the slippery surface. "Dammit, Sheridan! I came up here because." ".you thought I'd be a good girl and not take the stairs? Luis, you know me better than that," Sheridan scoffed, tugging the edges of her coat tighter around her rounded belly. "Sometimes you make me doubt myself," Luis answered, staring at her so hard she fought the urge to flinch. Instead she shivered as a particularly bone-chilling wind swirled around them, and she could see the struggle within Luis not to step forward and play her protector. To wrap his own heavy coat around her shoulders and lead her back inside to the relative warmth of the stairwell. "You know me, Luis," she sighed, dragging her bottom lip between her teeth, "you know I wouldn't use the Crane money to hurt you. Dammit, Luis. Something has to give. Something has to turn the tide in our favor, and I may not have used the best judgment or gone about it the right way, but you know hurting you was never my intention. I just wanted to take some of the pressure off of you." "And bear it on your own shoulders? I know that, Sheridan. Don't you think I know that?" Luis admitted with a weary sigh, his proud stance worn down by disappointment, "that's why, no matter how hard I try, I can't be angry at you. I'm just frustrated. Disappointed that you felt it had to be this way when it didn't. You could have come to me. We could have decided to do this together. No secrets between us." "I'm being honest with you now, Luis," Sheridan promised solemnly, taking one of his hands between both of hers and placing it over their child, "I won't make anymore decisions without you, and I won't ever give you reason to doubt yourself or me again. I love you too much for that, Luis." Her cheeks were damp with their mingled tears and the moisture of melting snowflakes as he pulled away from their tender kiss of reaffirmation and placed a supporting arm around her waist, leading her out of the cold. "I should have known you were stubborn enough to follow me up here."  
  
Chapter 77 Theresa chewed on the end of her pencil in thought, dark brows creased. Coming up with the guest list for her and Chad's wedding had seemed like a fun alternative to watching the weather forecaster prattle on about the possibility of snow and sleet in the evening and night hours earlier, but now.she wasn't so sure. Her head ached as she scanned the list for the hundredth time, hoping to come up with at least one name she could cross off of the list to make room for Chad's guests. It was simply too hard. "Maybe you should have an outdoor wedding, Sis," Miguel teased, shrugging his coat off and draping it across the back of the sofa before he took a seat beside her. Theresa leaned forward to place her notepad on the coffee table then turned to hug her brother, "Miguel, I didn't even hear you come in." "That's because Jake and MJ are still outside playing with Max," Miguel smirked. "Where's Cristian? I thought you knew I was picking him up." "Cristian's with Mama and Papa, and they should be back any minute. **I** should be the one asking you questions," Theresa giggled, "like do you think you can handle Jake, MJ, and Cristian all on your own? Admit it. You're scared, Little Brother." Miguel was prevented from making a response by Max's excited barking and the sound of two breathless little boys stomping the mixture of mud and ice from their boots just outside the front door.. Theresa's dark eyes sparkled when the door opened and Jake strutted over to them with a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye. For a boy who claimed he couldn't stand girls, he sure was becoming more and more of a shameless little flirt every day. Just like his dad. "Hi, Jake. MJ," she greeted, tugging her reluctant nephew forward for a hug. Miguel chuckled beside her when MJ made a show of wiping her kiss off of his cheek. "What about you, Jake? Can I have a kiss?" Theresa teased, biting her lip when Jake's cheeks flushed a deep pink, and his gaze dropped to his feet. "I can't," Jake muttered. "I'm sorry, Jake," Theresa prodded gently, noticing Miguel's smile out of the corner of her eyes and fighting to keep her own smile under wraps, "What did you say?" "I can't," Jake repeated, shuffling his feet back and forth on the carpet as he crammed his hands into his jeans pockets. "I already got a girl," he mumbled while MJ looked on in shock. "Is she pretty?" Theresa questioned, tucking her legs beneath her body and making herself more comfortable against Miguel's side. "Yeah," Jake admitted reluctantly, "she's real pretty." He looked so cute and uncomfortable at that moment, Theresa didn't have the heart to torture him any longer so she changed the subject. "I have a problem, Jake. See that list on the coffee table?" MJ's brown eyes widened when he saw all the names on the list, and Jake snatched the notepad out of MJ's hands with a scowl. Theresa ducked her head in embarrassment when Jake's mouth fell open in shocked amazement for a second. "Miguel.stop it," she grumbled, elbowing her brother in the ribs when he started to laugh heartily beside her. "I have a lot of friends, and you know what our family is like. You remember what happened when you and Kay didn't invite.well, I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings," Theresa broke off awkwardly, "Miguel." "You can say her name, Aunt Theresa," MJ told her matter-of-factly, "me and Dad can handle it, right Dad?" "It's okay," Miguel reassured her, his smile transforming into a genuine grin with one look at Jake. He could see the wheels turning in that brain of his already. "You want my advice?" Jake questioned, handing the notepad back over to MJ. "It's good advice. REALLY good advice. But.there's a minimum fee of five dollars. A guy's gotta score some cash for his mom's birthday present somehow, and the economy and two annoying kid sisters haven't been good to his weekly allowance." "Miguel, give me five dollars," Theresa requested, dark eyes sparkling, "I'll pay you back." She handed over the money despite the sneaking suspicion that she was being conned by one of the masters. Jake folded the bill neatly in half and stuffed it in his back pocket for safekeeping with a grin. "You have to listen to me 'cause these are the words of a very, very wise man. That many people," he motioned to the list in MJ's hands, "won't even fit in my school auditorium. I haven't even met that many people, and I'm ten years old-practically an adult," Jake proclaimed, puffing his chest out proudly. "Jake," Theresa stifled a giggle, "the wise man's words?" "You have to invite only the people that'll send the best presents. It doesn't take a wise man to know that. Geez," Jake rolled his brown eyes at them, "And grown-ups say kids are slow." "A very, very wise man, huh?" Theresa giggled as Jake and MJ left them to greet Cristian at the door and drag him to his room to gather his things together. The corners of Miguel's mouth turned up, and together they chorused "Hank."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Miguel said Tink flew out of Harmony like a bat out of hell after her mysterious phone call," Hank revealed conversationally as he placed Joshua in his booster seat and scooted him closer to the table's edge. "What do you think that bastard's up to?" he hissed low in disgust, but apparently not low enough "Who's a bastard, Daddy?" Emily asked sweetly as she climbed into the seat beside her cousin, her favorite doll tucked close to her heart. Gwen's brown eyes widened in horror as several gasps of surprise from the patrons at the tables around them reached her ears. Emmy's voice carried just a little too well it seemed, and everyone in the Lobster Shack had undoubtedly heard her innocent question. "Bennett," Gwen frowned, pinching the tender inside of her husband's arm as she took her seat and lifted her menu to hide the embarrassed flush of her cheeks. "OW! Uh.well, Emmy.I don't ever want to hear you say that word again. It's one of those ugly words your mom doesn't like, and Daddy's in big trouble right now." he trailed off to the sound of Sara's naughty laughter as he took the vacant seat beside his wife. "What are YOU laughing at? I thought you were still mad at us." "I AM," Sara scowled, kicking her feet back and forth angrily, "Serves you right you got in trouble 'cause you wouldn't let me spend the night with MJ." "I'm sure we'll do have the Great Kid Swap again, Sar.and if we don't," Hank added when his wife AND his daughter looked at him skeptically, "we'll just have MJ stay the night with us." "I'm worried about you, Bennett. Are you sure you're in your right mind?" Gwen smirked later between bites of her dinner, "Miguel'd have to be certifiable to actually volunteer to have a repeat of tonight." Hank grinned, "You know what, Babe? You got a point there. You're talking to me again. Does that mean I'm out of the doghouse?" "I wouldn't say that," Gwen said slowly, fighting the smile that wanted to break free when she looked into her husband's wickedly twinkling brown eyes and saw their son staring right back at her, "but I'm not really that mad at you for being worried about Abby. She's our friend, and Nick's whole disappearance is a little on the strange side, considering how much Ali needs him right now." "Exactly," Hank agreed, "Luis said Katie had to give Ali something to calm her down. Katie's even pissed, Babe, and it takes a lot to get Katie pissed. Don't tell me Taylor has a good reason for scaring Ali half to death. When he gets back to Harmony, he's going to answer to me." Gwen was blind-sided by the sudden image of a tiny chihuahua raising a leg to pee on a giant St. Bernard and getting its head snapped off, and she could barely restrain herself from laughing out loud. Hank noticed, but he let it slide, choosing instead to continue his rant while Sara thumped French fries at Emily and Joshua across the table when she thought no one was looking. Her family, Gwen thought with a sigh. She was SO proud.  
  
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"Hey, Gray Eyes. I know you told me not to come, but I'm in a bad place right now, and I just realized.I know you don't want me here, but.Listen, I have a mind of my own, and.DAMMIT!" Abby swore, hitting the steering wheel with the heel of her hand as a jallopie on par with her piece of crap rental car pulled out in front of her, and she barely escaped a rear-end collision. "I just hopped on a plane to Boston to tell you I love you.Like he wants to hear THAT, Abby. He doesn't want the golly scared out of him," she muttered, maneuvering the car carefully along the winding road. Oh God, she thought as her hazel eyes were drawn to the black waters of the river traveling parallel to the road. The river where Sheridan.Abby sighed as her hands tightened on the steering wheel, her knuckles white with tension. Sheridan didn't belong in this place. Hadn't Nick realized that? Hadn't he somehow known in the back of his mind that Luis was out there waiting for her? What the hell was she thinking? Hopping a plane to Boston and driving to THIS place-the place where Nick loved Sheridan.Jenny-in this yucky weather when she didn't have a clue where she was going? You were thinking.no, you were hoping he might need you, the annoying, always right voice inside her head nagged her. Molly's daughter said.Molly.Molly loved Nick like a son. Molly loved Sheridan too. Molly's fading away, and she's the closest thing to a mother he's really ever known, and he needs you.what the hell did Molly's daughter know about her, Abby wondered. "Come on!" Abby yelled, slamming her hand down on the horn when the jallopie slowed to a crawl in front of her. Strange how she'd never realized it before. The three of them.they were all orphans. It was the unspoken common thread in their separate and curiously intertwined lives. Sheridan had Luis and Ali and Cristian, not to mention Pilar and Martin and the rest of her family and friends. She was far from the lost, lonely little girl she had been. She had Shane. Infuriating as he could be sometimes-especially when he was right and she was wrong-he had always been her one constant in life. Nick was losing his only semblance of family, and he had no one. It scared Abby to realize how much she wanted to be his someone. This whole damn thing was too much, Abby thought distractedly as she watched the jallopie make a painstaking right turn and accelerated with an exaggerated sigh of relief. Her hazel gaze shifted just in time to see the car coming straight at her, careening out of control on the ice-slicked road, and her hands flew to the steering wheel as a scream tore from her throat.  
  
Chapter 78 "And it never occurred to you that hitting the dog was the lesser of the two evils?" Abby asked the fidgety teen-aged girl in front of her, glancing over her shoulder worriedly like she expected her father to appear from out of nowhere to give her the 3rd degree. Abby winced at the unpleasant stinging sensation as the paramedic dabbed at the tiny abrasions on her forehead and cheek, swatting his hand away in annoyance. "Look. I'm sorry, okay. I didn't see you coming, and the dog looked just like Toto from the Wizard of Oz, and who can kill Toto?" the girl told her with a shrug of her shoulders. "Are you going to press charges or something? My dad's got no insurance, and I'll be grounded for like two years." Abby took one look at her beaten-up rental and decided to hell with it. The car wasn't worth it, and she could definitely identify with the teen in front of her, questionable piercings notwithstanding. "No. I'm not going to 'press charges'," she sighed, ignoring the hand the medic offered her and hopping down from the back of the ambulance unassisted, "not if I can catch a ride to the hospital." The girl blanched, her voice coming out in a scared stammer when she asked, "You're.you're hurt? Oh God, you're hurt. That's it. I'm dead. My dad is so going to kill me." "I'm fine," Abby smirked, taking pity on the girl before she started to hyperventilate, "there's someone I need to see at the hospital." "Thank God!" the girl exclaimed, heaving a huge sigh of relief. "Hey.you can ride with me. I know the way to the hospital. It's only like 5 minutes from here.well, **I** can get there in 5 minutes." Some might say she was certifiable, Abby thought, but the one thing she wasn't was crazy enough to hitch a ride with this little NASCAR wannabe. "I hope you can understand why I'm going to have to turn down your kind offer," Abby told her, "but I think I'm going to catch a ride with Joe here. Is that okay, Joe?" Abby asked, turning to the young man standing beside her and imploring him with her eyes to say yes, nod, do SOMETHING. "Yeah. Sure. It's on my way," 'Joe' smirked. "Go home, Vic, and stay off these roads. You're even more dangerous behind the wheel than usual." "Sister?" Abby asked, breathing deeply and attempting to make a little conversation to ward off the disturbing flashes of memory of her last ride in an ambulance. "Cousin," the young man answered her with a lopsided smile, "By the way.the name's John. What about you, Ma'am? Do you have a name?" What the hell kind of question was THAT, Abby wondered, staring outside the passenger window at the darkening sky so he wouldn't notice her reflexive eye roll. OF COURSE, she had a name. EVERYBODY had a name. Geez. John could also stand to pick up a couple pointers on flirting. His 'Ma'am,' while polite, was SUCH a turn-off. Damn. She HATED the sound of that word and how old it made her feel. "Abby," she answered him with a sigh. "Do you think maybe we could hold off on the conversation, John? I think I'm getting a migraine, and." "Sure, sure," John apologized, "it's not much further to the hospital. Maybe you can get something for your headache there." Not something, Abby corrected him silently. Someone. Nick.  
  
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"What do you mean she has an infection? She was perfectly.she was fine this morning," Luis said, his anger at Taylor's apparent abandonment of his daughter seeping into his voice as he talked to Dr. Matthews. "What does this mean for her transplant?" "We'll have to fight the infection before Ali can undergo the transplant, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. She's not strong enough.The infection can become very serious if we are not able to get it under control and treat it," Dr. Matthews told him regretfully. Luis rest his forehead against Ali's hospital door wearily, his arms braced on either side of his head. Just this morning.He shook his head. Ali's energy and hope had seemed to wane as the day progressed, and Luis couldn't help but feel partly responsible. "Have you been able to reach Taylor?" Luis grit out, staring at Dr. Matthews with intense dark eyes. "I've called the number he left repeatedly, but there hasn't been an answer. We're doing everything we can for your daughter, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Ali's a favorite around here. We all want to see her happy and healthy again." "I know you do, Dr. Matthews. I'm sorry.I'm not doubting you're doing the best you can. Thank you," Luis said sincerely, "I need to." "Go to your daughter, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. I'll keep trying Dr. Taylor." Luis nodded and stepped inside Ali's room, leaving Dr. Matthews alone. "You just rest, Sweetie, and let this medicine do all the work," Katie told Ali softly, brushing a gentle hand across his daughter's forehead. "Look who's back," Katie smiled at him over her shoulder, "It's your daddy, Doll." "Daddy," Ali's blue eyes shone with love as Luis took her little hand between both of his larger ones and brought it to his cheek. "C'mere, AliCat," he whispered, carefully scooping her tiny frame up into his arms as he slid onto the bed beside her, "is this okay?" Katie gave him a quick nod, momentarily unable to speak she was so touched by the scene. She blinked back the sting of tears and cleared her throat, "If you need anything." She wasn't going anywhere. She was staying until she knew Ali's infection was gone, and she knew Noah would understand. "Thanks, Katie," Luis answered her gratefully, "Could you." "I'll find her, Luis," Katie promised, pulling the door shut behind her. Luis pressed his warm lips against Ali's temple, cradling her even closer. He felt his heart swell to bursting with Ali's whisper. "I love holding you like this, Daddy." "Me too, AliCat. Me too."  
  
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The candles in the chapel flickered, casting eerie shadows around the room and Sheridan's upturned face. Her blue eyes were wet and pleading, much like her voice as she prayed to a God she no longer understood. "Why? I don't understand. Help me understand why. You gave me more than I ever thought I deserved when you gave me Ali, and now you're trying to take her away from me. I know life isn't supposed to be fair, and maybe I'm being selfish because I haven't had enough time with her, but this.this isn't right. It doesn't make sense to me why you would give her back to me only to take her away again." The accident. She'd missed Ali's baby years, and the pictures were there, but it wasn't the same. She wasn't in any of them. She wasn't holding her baby. She hadn't existed. For three long years she hadn't existed. Ali's baby years had been taken away from her. Then there was the kidnapping. Ali's kidnapping. It seemed that every time they started to really be happy, to really enjoy being a family, something always tried to rip away what she loved most. Her sweet little daughter. And this cancer.it was the cruelest method of all because she was losing her baby little by little and try as she might, there was nothing she could physically do to stop it. She felt so helpless. She felt so angry, she realized, and the emotion seeped into her tired bones, taking over as she climbed to her feet and turned to meet Katie halfway. "I'm not going to let you have her," she vowed, resisting the desire to wince at the dull, throb of pain in her lower back in front of Katie. She really shouldn't let her stubbornness blind her to the fact that Luis WAS right sometimes. Those stairs HADN'T been such a good idea.  
  
  
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"I guess that explains why she's not answering her phone," Shane sighed, turning his sister's ringing cell phone off and putting it back on the kitchen counter where he and Ivy had found it. "Ethan'd forget his own head if it weren't attached," Ivy smirked, handing his cell phone back to him as her blue-green eyes perused their surroundings. "Nice place." "Yeah, it is," Shane answered her, hazel eyes twinkling at her comment about Ethan, "I think this is more of a case of my kid sister avoiding my nagging than it is a case of forgetfulness. Ivy, do you mind waiting a little longer? I'm going to check the disaster-zone that's Abby's room for clues to where she's gone. If you're thirsty, I'm sure there's something in the fridge. Oh, and Abby keeps the alcohol well-stocked if you."  
  
Shane trailed off, grinning at Ivy's amused smile. "I won't be long." "Don't worry about me," Ivy called after him, arching a brow at the scattered photographs all over the sofa, "I'm sure I can find something interesting to do." She picked up a photo of a teen-aged Shane and a very young, completely adorable Abby in blond pigtails and smiled at the protective arm Shane had wrapped around his sister's tiny shoulders. Another picture, Abby all decked out as a clown, struck her as so appropriate she burst into helpless laughter. "Runt was born a clown," Shane chuckled, startling Ivy enough to make her drop all the photos in her hands. "She didn't take her suitcase so she must not be planning to be gone long. Are you ready? We can still make our reservation if we hurry." "Just a minute," Ivy smiled, "let me straighten things up a bit." "Are you kidding?" Shane teased, kneeling on the floor beside her to help, "Abby's going to know I broke into her apartment like the worried, overprotective big brother I am if we don't leave it in the mess we found it. Ivy?" Ivy's fingers curled around the picture in her hand, and she shook off the momentary shock of recognition that had coursed through her with the first glance at the dark, piercing eyes and somber, handsome face. "Then we should leave it a mess," she agreed, slipping the picture inside her purse when Shane wasn't looking. "What are we waiting for? I'm starving."  
  
Chapter 79 "She's interested, but not in moving to Harmony? Chad, what are you going to do? I know she was your first choice.But this is your dream.You can't give up so easily," Theresa sighed, moving the receiver to her other ear as she scribbled Chad's flight information down on a sheet of paper and tacked it on the fridge with a magnet "Yes.it's right beside Cristian's wonderful rendition of Smoky.No, it wasn't a blissful family reunion.Let's just say I'm gaining a whole new understanding of Luis's name for her.Well, yeah. She HAS been a pain in the.Chad, if you don't come home soon, Smoky's going to forget what you look like.All right," Theresa giggled, "she's NOT going to forget, but she DOES miss you. Not as much as **I** miss you, but still.I love you. You're my fiance, and I want to see you now. Not two days from now.I was working on the guest list for the wedding today, and Chad, I was thinking.yes, I do that sometimes," Theresa huffed into the receiver as she made her way into the living room and turned on the television, channel- surfing until she found an old romantic comedy. She curled up on the sofa, pulling Cristian's favorite quilt over her knees and endured Chad's teasing with a smile and a roll of her dark eyes. "How do you know I'm rolling my eyes? You can't see me.Oh, you know me, do you? What am I doing right now?" she inquired between bites of ice cream. "No, I'm not eating ice cream.it's too cold out, and besides.that's Sheridan's and Luis's MO, not mine. Fuuuunnnyyy.Well, then.you'll just have to come home before I start looking suspiciously like the Goodyear blimp.You're going to help me with the guest list.Yes, you are, and that's that. You know you can't say no to me.Why? Because you love me. That's why.You're going to have to do it yourself, Chad, 'cause I'm not hanging up.Love you. Bye.Two days is too long," Theresa whined as her spoon clinked against the bottom of her empty bowl, and the phone disconnected with Chad's amused laughter ringing in her ears. So she hadn't told him about Ali's infection. He would have dropped everything to come home, and Sheridan hadn't wanted him to do that. Neither did she, Theresa realized. No matter how much she missed him. She placed her bowl on the coffee table, promising herself she'd take it to the kitchen later, and pulled the quilt up over her shoulders as she settled deeper into the mountain of pillows for maximum enjoyment of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant at their best, her eyelids already drooping with fatigue. The fire crackled in the fireplace a few feet away, and Max curled up in front of her, resting his golden head on his front paws as his brown eyes watched Miss Priss lap greedily from the abandoned bowl unnoticed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Katie wrapped her arms tighter around herself, letting her tears fall freely as she walked aimlessly down the main hall of the pediatric oncology ward. There were times when she hated her job and questioned her commitment to it. Tonight was definitely one of those times, she thought numbly, passing Ellie without acknowledging her expression of pity. The death of a child was something NO mother should have to live through, yet it happened every day, and Katie had witnessed the death of too many innocents to expect life to be fair anymore. Her own hope was at its lowest point, and she didn't know what to do about it. She didn't know how to grasp onto faith any harder. She tried to steel herself to the anguished cries echoing in the halls, but it was impossible, and she couldn't fight the urge to run away any longer. So she turned and ran. Straight into a pair of strong arms. Katie sobbed against Noah's broad chest, wrapping her arms around his waist and letting him hold her up when her knees felt weak and useless. She concentrated on the way his breath stirred her hair, and the way his heart thumped reassuringly inside his chest. The clean, masculine scent of him, the feel of him around her comforted her, and her fingers dug into his back as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. When she felt the gentle brush of tiny fingers through her hair and kisses of the faintest pressure on her cheek, her green eyes blinked open, and she found herself staring into Kendall's guileless green eyes. Kendall whimpered in protest when she crushed him to her, but Katie just held him tighter, needing, for the moment, to have him as close to her as she could. "Thank you," she cried, cupping Noah's strong jaw with one hand as the other cradled Kendall's sandy blond head, her lips pressed against his temple. "Not necessary," Noah whispered, taking her hand and pulling her and Kendall back into his arms without another word.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It'd been hours since she'd heard the sound of his voice, Abby realized as the car slowed to a stop in front of an old Colonial. Molly's Colonial, Abby guessed. Nick's now. Molly's daughter and her family lived someplace warm and sunny. The memories and the cold in Massachusetts were more than they could handle. Abby joined Nick on the front steps, hands stuffed into the pockets of her jacket, as she waited for him to find the right key. Rain and sleet fell around them, and Abby felt a painful flutter in her chest as she watched Nick's unsteady hands struggle with the key. She felt his gray eyes on her as her hands covered his, and they turned the key in the lock together. "See?" she forced a note of lightness into her voice, "I'm good for something. How do you like the sound of 'Wonder Abby'?" Nick's hand warmed her cheek almost as much as the gratitude and fleeting sparkle of humor in his gray eyes, and Abby was on the verge of spilling the contents of her heart to him when she heard his soft whisper. "Inside. You're freezing." "Geez.it feels like the mor." Abby's words froze awkwardly in her throat, and she whirled around in embarrassment, hoping Nick hadn't heard her. Dammit. Feels like the morgue in here, Abby? Open mouth. Jam foot WAY back. Choke to death on own stupidity. She winced. Rotten choice of words. "Okay.I'm not some helpless little maiden," she grumbled in mock-offense as she watched Nick coax the logs in the fireplace to actually burn, filling the open living room with a soft orange glow, "Mr. Scout Leader. What can I do?" Nick stood up slowly and crossed the short distance to her with a small smile on his lips-his first smile of the night, "Candles. It's getting worse outside, and I don't think we'll have electricity much longer. Think you can handle it, Wonder Abby?" Abby rolled her hazel eyes at his gentle teasing, and she turned, ready to set out on her mission when he caught her hand in his own. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk at the hospital earlier. I made a big deal about you coming when I asked you not to, but the truth is I'm glad you're here. Thank you for coming," Nick punctuated his words with a squeeze of her hand. "Admit it. You weren't surprised to see me at all, were you?" Abby asked him with sparkling hazel eyes. "Uh huh," she smiled as she backed away, reluctant to let go of his hand, "I knew it. Look for me in a little while if you don't hear anymore of my inane babbling, okay?" "To think I was actually worried." Abby's hazel eyes fluttered open, and she wore a sheepish smile as she shifted to a sitting position in the old clawfoot tub. "What can I say?" she shrugged her shoulders, making bubbles splash over the porcelain sides onto the cold tile floor below. "I wandered in here looking for candles. Calgon moment waiting to happen if you ask me. Besides.not that I've seen any, but I don't think frostbitten asses are too attractive, do you?" Nick shook his head at her unique sense of humor as he stepped further into the room, his hands going to the row of buttons down the front of his shirt. Abby eyed each newly revealed patch of golden skin appreciatively, opening her arms to welcome him when he stood completely naked before her with stormy gray eyes. Oh, Gray Eyes, Abby thought silently. She wanted to hug him and make the pain go away. The water and bubbles surged upward with his additional weight, spilling over the sides of the tub and further soaking the floor. Nick settled back against the soft pillow of Abby's breasts, his dark head resting on her shoulder as her arms snaked around his neck, hugging him close to her. "Molly must have been something special," she murmured, each word brushing her lips against his earlobe. "I'm sorry I didn't get to meet her," Abby told him sincerely, nuzzling his cheek and placing a tender kiss there, her lips following the invisible trail of his salty tears. "Shh.just hold onto me, Gray Eyes.I won't let go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ His wife's blue eyes glittered in the darkness, and Luis saw the reflection of his own pain in them. The cries of anguish were haunting. Almost too familiar. They replayed over and over again in his nightmares each night when he could no longer fight to keep his eyes open to watch every breath Ali takes. He wanted to reach out, take Sheridan's hand in his, and make pretty promises he couldn't possibly keep, but he didn't. His dark eyes shifted to the still figure on the hospital bed, and he pushed the heel of hand against his lips to stifle his own rising sob, fumbling with his other hand for the tiny radio he knows is on the small table beside the bed. A half-empty glass and his keychain topple to the floor below when the pitiful wails reach his ears again, and a frightened gasp tells him he has woken her. Soft music fills the room, but its melancholy melody still sounds like tears to his ears. "Daddy?" "Sleep, AliCat," he whispers to her as he holds her little hand tightly, "Go back to sleep." Chapter 80  
  
"So Molly was your first Katie," Abby speculated. "Your first favorite nurse," she explained when Nick looked at her with confused gray eyes and the hint of an amused smirk on his lips as he watched her fork wave in the air with each unconscious hand gesture. "I've never actually thought of it that way, but yes," Nick answered her, his fingers closing around her wrist and bringing her fork to his mouth. Abby's mouth fell open in protest as he ate her last bite of cheesecake. "Cheesecake's fattening, and you had more of my sandwich than I did. And you stole my clothes," Nick told her, chuckling in surprise when he suddenly found his arms full of live, breathing, ultimately crazy woman. He swept his hands up and down her back gently, unconsciously counting each breath she took as her arms wound tightly around his neck, and they held each other for several long minutes. Her hazel eyes were soft with compassion as she stroked her fingers through the dark hair at the nape of his neck, and Nick felt his heart twist inside his chest at the unexpected rush of affection he experienced just looking into her eyes. "Tell me about her," Abby whispered, turning around in his embrace and covering his arms with her own. "I met Molly when I was twelve years old," Nick revealed as he watched Abby's smaller fingers slide through his, "My mother had just died, and my new foster parents lived next door to Molly and her family." "Do they still live next door?" Abby questioned, "Maybe they have some food. And a generator," she added. Nick didn't have to see her eyes to know they were twinkling. He smiled, rubbing his cheek against her silky tawny hair before continuing, "Mr. Prescott ran off with his secretary two days before my fourteenth birthday. Mrs. Prescott tried to keep things the same after he'd gone, but over time she just fell apart. That Christmas, I woke up to an empty house. Instead of presents under the tree, I got a letter and worthless check." "What a bitch," Abby muttered indignantly, nuzzling his arm with her cheek, "Molly took you in, didn't she?" "And she was my favorite nurse after med school," Nick told her with a smile in his voice, "My first Katie." The flames flickered low in the fireplace, their shadows dancing across Abby's face, and Nick tucked her more firmly in his arms when she shivered against him. "Cold?" "I can't feel my little toe," Abby complained, "First it's the little toe. Then the whole foot. Before you know it, I won't be able to feel my own ass." Nick dropped his chin to her shoulder and laughed, slipping his arms from her waist and climbing to his feet to add another log to the fire. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a true original?" "Once or twice," Abby smirked, pounding her pillow into a desirable shape. She stretched out along the mattress she'd helped him bring in from one of the downstairs bedrooms, raising up on one elbow to gaze at him unnoticed as he crouched in front of the glowing fire. She sucked in a deep, startled breath when their eyes connected across the short distance, and she felt the remaining wall around her heart start to crumble to dust. Dammit, she thought with an inward sigh. She loved those gray eyes, and God help her, she loved the man they belonged to. How the hell had she let this happen, she wondered as Nick slipped beneath the blankets with her and rest his dark head next to hers against the snowy white pillow. She really was crazy. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Luis was slumped in the chair beside Ali's bed, long legs sprawled in front of him and his left arm dangling over the chair's side when Katie made her second trip to Ali's room sometime in the early morning hours. Luis's elbow rest on the edge of Ali's mattress, and his chin was propped in his right palm as he finally slept, exhausted from the strain of constantly worrying about Ali and his family. Katie reached around him carefully to turn the radio off, the mournful crying of earlier only an echoing memory, and touched the backs of her fingers against Ali's forehead, careful not wake the little girl as she checked her temperature and her vitals. Katie jumped, nearly bumping Luis when Sheridan's soft voice startled her in stillness of room. "I think the medicine's working. She seems more peaceful."  
  
  
  
"Sheridan," Katie admonished gently, walking around the foot of Ali's bed, "it's almost three in the morning. You should be." "Katie." Even in the pale shaft of moonlight shining in through the lone window in the room, Sheridan's indulgent smile was still visible. "Not you, too. Sleep's an impossibility these days," she murmured, rubbing her hands over her rounded belly, "With the baby, and Ali.Sometimes I can't bring myself to close my eyes. I don't want to.just in case." Katie reached out and covered Sheridan's restless hands with her own, hoping Sheridan could see the understanding in her own eyes, "Working with children like Ali has taught me to appreciate every moment I have with Kendall. I know it's not really the same, but." "Thank you, Katie," Sheridan whispered, giving Katie's hand a grateful squeeze, "The crying? Earlier." "We lost Patrick," Katie told her, tears in her voice, "He was just so tired, and his mother...she refused to let him go. It's always hard. Not as hard as it is for the families, but you grow attached to these beautiful little people. And it's hard to understand how God could put them through so much and take them from us so early." Tears glistened on Sheridan's cheeks, and Katie swallowed past the lump rising in her own throat to offer Sheridan some words of comfort, "But you never stop fighting or loving. Someone told me there's no joy in a life without hope, and I really believe that to be true. There's hope everywhere. In Ali's beautiful smile and Luis's love for you and your children. And this baby, Sheridan," Katie smiled as she rest her hand over the restless baby girl in Sheridan's womb, "well, she may just be the greatest hope of all." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Pale ribbons of light-not quite moonlight, not quite sunlight-filtered in through the frosted windows, casting an almost otherworldly glow on Nick's peaceful face, and Abby smiled as she traced the features of that handsome face with the pads of her fingers reflectively. She followed the line of one dark brow, letting her fingers comb through the sprinkling of gray at his temple. His jaw was smooth and strong, and she felt laughter bubbling up within herself as she traced the lines of his sleepy grin with the nail of her index finger down to his mouth. His voice was deep and rumbling, sexy and rough from sleep, and her thumb played over his full bottom lip as he spoke. "Katie says the gray is so George Clooney." "Katie says, does she?" Abby leaned down to press a tiny kiss to the corner of his mouth, making his gray eyes blink open, "Should I be jealous?" Nick slid his hand around the back of her neck when she tried to pull away, and his face started the swim out of focus, his intense gray eyes suddenly the only thing Abby could see as their mouths hovered inches apart. "You're here," Nick murmured, letting his lips linger on the mole on her upper lip before trailing them across her cheek to her ear. "Not Katie," he smirked as he slid one muscular thigh between her legs and rolled them both over, "Or anyone else." Abby's hazel eyes fluttered shut at the first gentle touch of his fingertips to the tiny butterfly bandages on her forehead and the hollow of her cheek, and she sighed when his lips followed the same path of his fingertips a moment later. Her brow, eyelids, nose, and chin got the same tender treatment, but Nick avoided kissing her on the mouth, and Abby wanted to groan with frustration until she felt Nick's hands at her waist, slowly inching the bulky material of her confiscated sweatshirt up her body. Nick sat back on his heels, bringing Abby with him, and the heat of his hand at the small of her back burned her even as he swept the sweatshirt over her tawny head and exposed her bare skin to the chilly morning air. Nick's shirt added to the growing pile of clothes, and Abby could feel the thrumming of Nick's heart and the increasingly rapid rise and fall of his chest beneath her mouth, and she raised her head to meet his eyes when he softly whispered her name in question. Their hands met and clasped, and Abby lay back, never breaking the intense gaze.  
  
There was a difference, Abby realized, between giving your heart to someone and giving them your body. It was a feeling much more frightening than facing forty, millions of teen-aged NASCAR wannabes, and endless years of Britney on the radio. As Nick mapped out the planes and valleys of her body with his hands and lips, making her tremble with need and cry out in pleasure, Abby felt like she was free-falling. Nick's strong arms held her close as they danced the fine line between sex and love, and Abby knew she was fighting a losing battle when he brushed her damp, tawny hair away from her face and kissed her mouth sweetly and thoroughly. Gray Eyes had finally rendered her speechless. 


	17. Chapter 81

Chapter 81  
  
"Hank," Gwen gripped her husband's shoulder, shaking it gently. "Wake up, Bennett," she hissed into his ear, cinching her robe tighter around her waist. One of Gus's chew toys squeaked beneath her bare feet, and she cursed under her breath when the noise made her jump. "Time's it?" Hank mumbled sleepily, stretching out underneath Emily's pink comforter. His socked feet dangled off the edge of the small twin bed, and Emmy's ancient rag doll served as his pillow. Across from them in Sara's twin bed, Gus snuffled quietly, and Gwen groaned softly. That dog had to be the world's biggest manufacturer of drool. "It's early," she told him, giving his shoulder another less patient shake. "Where's your compassion, Babe?" Hank grumbled, rubbing his eyes with his fists tiredly, "You didn't get kicked out of your own bed at two in the morning." Gwen rolled her brown eyes at him, tugging his forearm forcefully and throwing the covers back, "Don't waste that speech on me, Bennett. You didn't spend the night in bed with three kicking children. It's all your fault for letting Emmy watch the Wizard of Oz again. Those flying monkeys scare the golly out of her every time." "Hey," Hank admonished mockingly, "Watch your language. Young ears, remember?" The infuriating man, Gwen thought, running her fingers through his unruly cap of hair roughly then giving his forehead an affectionate if exasperated shove at the slow-forming grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It's early, Babe. The kids are still asleep.if you catch my drift," Hank wiggled his dark brows at her suggestively as his arms slipped beneath the robe she wore and wound around her waist, pulling her down onto the bed beside him. Gwen dodged his kiss good morning, ignoring the hurt puppy dog face he was giving her, "We don't have time for this, Hank. I need you to wake Joshua and the girls and take them to Sam and Grace's." Hank threw his legs over the edge of the bed, snarling at the still-sleeping, slobbering mutt across from him, "Sure. Fine. Later, Babe." "Not later. NOW," Gwen snapped, softening her tone and expression when she saw the confusion written plainly all over his face, "Luis just called. He said the doctors are trying to stop it, but they're not sure they can. Sheridan's in labor." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Something didn't happen to Ali, did it?" Jake inquired worriedly as Martin led him and a very groggy MJ and Cristian into Uncle Luis's old bedroom. "You'd tell me, wouldn't you?" Martin tucked the covers around his two young grandsons' shoulders, waiting to make sure they were fast asleep before giving Jake an answer. "I'd tell you," Martin whispered, steering Jake back into the hall. "If it's not Ali." Jake began, "Wait a minute.The baby's coming, isn't it? She's too early.that p-word.Is she going to be okay?" "Mijo," Pilar appeared beside them with a sigh on her lips, pulling her winter coat on and slipping her purse over her shoulder, "You mustn't say anything to Cristian to worry him. Do you understand? The baby's going to be fine, and Sheridan's going to be fine." "I want to go with you," Jake said, starting down the hall after his own jacket, "Who'll stay with Ali if everybody's worried about her mom and the baby?" "Papa's going to stay with Ali," Theresa explained, stilling Jake's agitated movements and replacing his jacket in the closet, "and I'm going to stay here with you. At least for a little while." Jake frowned, reaching for his jacket again, "But I want to go. I want to see Ali. I'm not some little kid." "We know you're not," Miguel placated, and Jake bristled at his unintentionally condescending tone of voice. "Ali's too sick right now. The doctors probably won't even let you in to see her, Jake," Theresa said, grimacing as soon as she heard the words coming out of her mouth and realized how they sounded. "Mija," Pilar scolded gently with a shake of her head, "Martin, are you coming?" "Mr. Fitzgerald?" Jake entreated Martin, his brown eyes uncharacteristically serious, "I got to go. I got to. Even if I don't get to see Ali."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Wait a minute.what the hell are you giving her?" Luis demanded as he watched a young nurse empty the syringe in her hands. "You need to relax, Luis," Eve soothed even as the monitors anticipated another contraction and Sheridan cried out softly in pain, "Sheridan's doctor is just trying to stop the contractions." "Luis? Who's with Ali? She's all alone," Sheridan fretted. "She's not alone, Baby. Katie's with her. I called Gwen and Mama and Papa. They're on their way. Ali's in good hands. We have to worry about you and the baby right now. You just had to be stubborn and take those stairs, didn't you? You should have told me you were hurting," Luis chastised her gently, stroking her blond hair back from her forehead. "I'm sorry, Luis," Sheridan apologized, the tears collecting in her blue eyes making Luis's own eyes shine with concern, "I didn't want to worry you when I didn't know for sure." He'd hoped for one of her snappy retorts, and even a little show of the mule-headedness that'd gotten them into this mess in the first place. Her tears made him feel guilty for giving her a reason to climb those stairs all over again. "Shh. Don't cry. I know you didn't mean for this to happen. It's not your fault." "Listen to Luis, Sheridan," Eve murmured, "This isn't your fault. It isn't anybody's really. Your daughter's just anxious to meet you, and we're having a tough time trying to convince her to wait a little longer. That's all. What else do you expect from the daughter of two of the most stubborn people in Harmony? Probably in the world?" Sheridan's tears turned to laughter against Luis's shoulder, and Eve offered them a wavering smile even as her own concern grew. If this baby was anything like either of her parents, they all were fighting a losing battle.  
  
Chapter 82  
  
"Ethan! I'm so glad you're here!" Theresa exclaimed as she opened the front door, flinging her arms around Ethan's neck gratefully. Ethan glanced apprehensively at Beth beside him, and his arms rose to wrap around Theresa's slight waist when he found nothing but understanding in his wife's eyes. "It's so awful. This is the last thing Luis and Sheridan needed to have happen," Theresa sniffled, loosening her stranglehold on Ethan's neck and stepping back from him awkwardly when she saw that he hadn't come alone. "Beth.Ivy.I.I needed.Chad changed his flight. He's coming home tonight instead of tomorrow, but I needed someone.I needed a friend," Theresa finally finished, attempting a smile even as tears started to blur her vision again. "I'm supposed to keep Cristian calm and not let on to him that anything's wrong, but I can't. I can't do that by myself. Not this time when I." Ivy cleared her throat, masking her own worry with a bright smile as she greeted the little boy, still clad in his dark blue pajamas as he twiddled his thumbs nervously directly behind Theresa. "Hi, Cristian," Beth said cheerily, nudging past Theresa and kneeling at Cristian's feet, "Are you hungry?" Cristian's big brown eyes left Theresa's figure to focus on Beth's smiling face and kind eyes, and he nodded slowly, rubbing at his eyes sleepily with his fists. "Uh huh." "Okay then," Beth said, grunting softly as she lifted Cristian up and into her arms, "I think we should surprise MJ with breakfast, don't you? That way he won't be grumpy when we wake him up early." Cristian's arms twined loosely around Beth's neck, and his heels hooked around her waist as he lay his dark head against her shoulder, allowing himself to be held. His big brown eyes were still riddled with unasked questions though as Beth carried him into the kitchen. Ivy was surprised by her sudden clear understanding of Theresa's motivations for making the call that had made all of their hearts beat a little faster, and she felt a little guilty for her nonsensical relapse of suspicion where Theresa was concerned. 'Take her to the hospital, Ethan. Beth and I will stay with the boys." "Mother? Are you sure?" Ethan asked, already helping Theresa don her coat. "Call us with any news," Ivy murmured as she brushed a quick kiss to Ethan's cheek before gently pushing him out the door. "Ivy? Thank you," Theresa called as Ivy acknowledged her with a brief nod. "I've missed spending time with Cristian lately," Ivy revealed. " We'll be okay, Theresa. Give Sheridan and Luis my love, and don't forget to call us with any news." "We won't," Theresa promised as Ethan helped her into the passenger seat of his car. Ivy stood at the door, arms wrapped tightly about her waist to ward off the chill, until the car disappeared down the street out of view. She closed the door and leaned against it with a heavy sigh. She hoped for good news. They'd had too much of the bad variety as of late. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I don't know why I can't just go in," Jake grumbled, swinging his feet back and forth as he perched on the edge of a chair in the waiting room. Miguel shifted beside Jake, uncomfortable in the stiff chair and groggy from his sleepless night with the not-quite lethal trio. He figured Cristian's lack of true deviousness had probably saved his sanity last night. Jake eyed him warily out of the corner of his brown eyes, wishing he'd just go ahead and fall asleep already so he could sneak down the hall and into Ali's hospital room with Mr. Fitzgerald. He watched Miguel's eyelids droop drowsily, and silently counted to ten, ready to execute his escape as soon as they closed completely. His feet stopped their swinging motion, and he leaned forward carefully, praying the chair wouldn't creak. He hit the ground running, not even bothering to chance a glance over his shoulder as he scampered around the hall corner. "Took him longer than I thought," Miguel laughed when his brown eyes snapped open a minute later and encountered Katie's sweet smile and sparkling green eyes, "You sure it's okay for him to just." Katie waved him off as she dropped tiredly into the seat across from him, slipping her shoes from her feet and curling her legs underneath her, "She's always so happy to see him. I won't tell if you don't." "I don't know what you're talking about," Miguel grinned, leaning his head back against the wall and letting his eyes flutter shut. Katie watched his face go slack with sleep, his dark lashes resting prettily against his smooth cheeks, and smiled at him softly, thankful to see that the sharpness of grief was slowly fading from his countenance. "You sleep," she murmured, draping her arm across her chair and propping her chin upon the palm of her hand as she gazed in the opposite direction. "I'll keep watch."  
  
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"Is she sleeping?" Martin's eyes softened at Jake's timidly asked question, and he nodded silently, a slight smile caressing his lips as he watched the young boy's face as he gazed upon the slumbering angel in the bed. He saw so many things in the child's normally lively brown eyes, but shining clear in the midst of the sadness and tenderness and concern was a feeling he was sure the boy didn't know how to name yet. A feeling he wouldn't be able to recognize or aptly name for years to come. Jake's fingers twisted in the blankets at Ali's waist, and his little boy voice cracked slightly as he spoke, his words barely more than a whisper. "It's not fair that she's sick, Mr. Fitzgerald. What'd she ever do to anybody but be nice and sweet? She was just Ali. She's got to get better. She's just got to." Martin watched Jake's small fingers hover over Ali's sweet face uncertainly, and he watched the boy release a shuddering, resolved breath, dropping his hand to gently thread his fingers through Ali's own. Martin stood up, moving behind Jake and grasping his slim shoulders with firm, comforting hands as the two of them watched the reassuring rise and fall of Ali's chest. "Don't you worry, young Bennett. Our Ali's going to win this fight, and she'll grow lovelier each year until just looking at her makes your heart feel like it's going to burst inside your chest. Other pretty girls are going to turn your head, Jake." Jake's utterly Hank-like features scrunched up in disgust at Martin's words, but it was only half-hearted disgust at best. "But none of them will ever mean as much to you as her. Ali's always going to be your special girl," Martin finished with a low whisper, smiling openly when Jake shrugged away from his hold. "Geez, would you stop it with the lovey-dovey crap? It's not like I want to marry her or anything. I just want her to get better so it can be like old times," Jake protested, rolling his brown eyes at Martin even as he carefully crawled into the bed beside Ali and rest his rumpled brown head on the pillow beside hers. Martin's eyes twinkled as he regarded them in silence. That's where you're wrong, young Bennett. That's where you're wrong. You'll love Ali because you already do. You'll love her forever.  
  
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"Sheridan, you know I hate to do this," Eve said apologetically as her eyes flitted over Luis, Gwen, and Pilar, "but this room is only big enough for so many people. I'm sorry." "It's all right, Eve," Gwen flashed the older woman a brief smile as she grasped Luis's fingers with her own and gave them an insistent tug, "Treat me to a cup of coffee? I left my purse in the car with Bennett." "Gwen, I don't want to.," Luis started to object. "Just down the hall, Luis. Just a short break. Pilar will be with Sheridan," Gwen reassured him. "Go, Mijo," Pilar urged him, taking his vacated seat at Sheridan's bedside, "Sheridan and I will be fine." Gwen leaned over Luis's shoulder, whispering into his ear, "We need to talk." "Gwen, what is this about?" Luis demanded, his stride long and impatient as he followed her down the hall and stepped into the lounge area. Gwen filled a styrofoam cup with coffee and offered it to Luis. When he declined, she lifted the cup to her lips, grimacing at its tepid temperature. She tossed the cup and its contents into the trash and turned to him, arms crossed across her middle and brown eyes shining. "This is about that baby in there. And what she could do for Ali." "Gwen." Luis faltered, shaking his head. "No, Luis. Listen to me," Gwen pleaded softly, grabbing Luis's forearm when he started to back away from her, "I've never had a strong belief in fate, but I DO think some things happen for a reason. I think that baby is the best chance Ali has. Cristian's not a perfect match. She MAY be." "What are you saying, Gwen?" Luis asked slowly, wrapping his brain around her words. "I'm saying I don't think you should fight so hard against this. I'm saying you should let what happens happen and run its course. Within reason," she hastily added. "She's saying trust Fate," a voice spoke softly behind them, and Gwen smiled slightly at Theresa and the irony of the situation, her brown eyes bright as she corrected Theresa's statement. "I was going to say God, but Theresa's Fate may have just as big a hand in this."  
Chapter 83 "Cristian," Ivy beckoned the little boy from his stance, staring outside the window expectantly, "Come sit by me, Darling, and help MJ tell me who the people in the pictures are." Ivy patted the empty space to her left with a bright smile. On her right, MJ sat, a fairly worn-looking photo album in his lap and a beseeching expression on his young face. Always reluctant to accept any woman's attentions-except maybe Abby's-MJ begged Cristian with his brown eyes to bail him out or at least be 'tortured' along with him. "Okay," Cristian relented softly, crossing the room and climbing into place beside her. No protests left his mouth as Ivy gently pulled him into her lap and stroked her fingers through his dark hair as they watched MJ slowly open the album. "Look Cristian," Ivy smiled at the picture of youth and happiness Pilar and Martin made, "there's your grandpa and nana on their wedding day." MJ looked up at Ivy and rolled his dark eyes dramatically. "You don't need our help," he huffed, "You already know everybody." "Not everybody," Ivy smiled down at him, laughing at his scowl when she reached down to ruffle his cap of dark hair playfully. "Oh that's right," MJ grinned wickedly, his dark eyes twinkling wildly with mischief, "You're getting old, and old people don't always remember too good. My dad told me." I'm sure your dad's told you lots of things," Ivy shot back, "but you seemed to have forgotten the MOST important thing. NEVER discuss a lady's age in front of her." "You're not a lady," MJ snickered, "You're just Cristian's aunt Ivy." Beth stepped back into the kitchen, a slight smile gracing her lips at the scene she'd just left. "They're in the living room looking at pictures with your mother.MJ's trading insults with Ivy.No. They're having fun.I think so. He seems.The poor little guy.He just really misses them.It's so unfair.I know Sheridan and Luis are doing the best they can in a terrible, complicated situation, Ethan, but he's just a little boy. A sweet little boy who has every reason to complain, but he doesn't." Beth took a seat at the kitchen table, releasing a sigh as she listened to Ethan defend his aunt on the other end. "Ethan, I'm not attacking Sheridan.Good. It's good to know you know that.I'll tell Cristian.I won't forget.How IS Sheridan?.They decided not to.Luis agreed?.At least 85%.Did Sheridan's doctor tell you that or did Eve?.She's not an OB-GYN, Ethan.What if she's not a match? Will all this be worth it?.Dr. Taylor seems to think so.Did he say where the hell he's been?.Luis is NOT going to be happy to see him.No, he'll just wait and kill him AFTER he's saved Ali's life.Bye, Ethan.Call us with any news." Beth removed the phone from her ear and punched the off button, rising from her chair and walking back into the living room. "Beth," Ivy looked up from a childhood photo of Sheridan she'd found tucked away in the album's overflowing pages, "Was that Ethan on the phone? What did he say?" Beth crouched down in front of the sofa and looked into Cristian's trusting dark eyes for several seconds, searching for the right words to let him know what was going on with his mother and his sisters without scaring him. The picture in Cristian's little hands caught her eye, and she held her hand out to him. "May I?" Cristian handed the photo to her without hesitation. "That's your mommy, isn't it?" Beth asked, tracing the image of the tearful little blond, maybe three years old, sitting on some steps with the skirt of her soft pink summer dress pulled up to reveal a skinned knee. Cristian nodded affirmatively and pointed to the dark-haired little boy holding Sheridan's hand tightly, "That's Daddy." "He's always taken care of her, hasn't he?" Beth breathed. "And he always will, Darling," Ivy added, giving her little nephew a smile of reassurance. "We know something's wrong," MJ blurted suddenly, "Just because I'm in the first grade doesn't mean I'm stupid. Neither is he. Tell them, Cristian." "Nothing's wrong," Beth spoke up, giving MJ a look of warning when he started to interrupt her, "MJ, let me finish, okay?" MJ crossed his arms over his chest and complied reluctantly. "Cristian, there's no reason to worry about your mommy. Your daddy's with her, and he's taking the best care of her." "But she missed it," Cristian frowned. "She promised to always call me when I wake up, and she didn't today. She promised, and she forgot." "She didn't forget, Cristian," Beth told him, "She gave Ethan a message for you, and Ethan told it to me just a few minutes ago. She said she loves you, and she's so sorry she missed your date, but she's been very busy. How do you feel about becoming a big brother today, Cristian?" "The baby? Mommy's having our baby?" Cristian asked, big brown eyes wide with surprise. Beth smiled at his expression and his use of 'our' and nodded. "Yes, Cristian. Your little sister's on her way." "But we're not ready yet," Cristian worried, "Me and Aunt Theresa don't have her nursery finished, and Ali's not home. Ali was supposed to be home before the baby came." "We'll all help finish the nursery, and Ali.Ali will be home, Kiddo," Beth said, taking a leap of faith. "Your baby sister's early, Cristian, and she's going to be very small," Ivy interjected, "Much smaller than you or Ali or MJ were when you were babies. She's going to have to stay in the hospital for a while so the doctors and nurses can watch over her and take care of her." "Is she even going to look like a baby?" MJ muttered, fidgeting uncomfortably at Ivy's side. "Of course she is," Beth answered him, "She'll be beautiful if she looks anything like you, Cristian, or Ali." The compliment made Cristian blush, and MJ scoffed. "I'm not chopped liver. I'm the cousin, and if she looks anything like ME, she's going to be the most beautifulest baby in the world." Both women laughed, and Ivy shook her head as she cast another glance down at MJ. "Such modesty.you're going to be a real lady killer when you grow up." MJ frowned. He wasn't sure what Mrs. Crane meant, but it sure didn't sound good. And those blue eyes of hers were laughing at him. "I'm going to tell my dad what you said." "Go ahead, Dear," Ivy smirked, "I don't mind." MJ glared back at her in response. "Beth," Cristian questioned in soft uncertainty, "Will you take me to the hospital so I can see Mommy? Please." Beth cupped her palm against Cristian's silky cheek before speaking, "You can't visit her yet, Sweetie, but Ethan's going to call us when you can. In the meantime I want you to go help MJ pack up his stuff. His grandma's coming by to pick him up for Joshua's therapy session." MJ slid off the sofa and tugged Cristian along with him before Beth had a chance to say anything else, but not before one last parting shot at Ivy. "It's not polite to stick your tongue out at ladies, MJ!" Ivy called after him, "Especially OLD ladies like me!" Beth stood up and dropped gracelessly onto the sofa beside Ivy. "That went better than expected. At least he's not in tears." "Nonsense," Ivy gave Beth's knee a friendly pat, "You're good with children, Beth. You and Ethan should consider having one of your own." Beth plucked the forgotten photograph of Sheridan and Luis as children from Ivy's hands and studied it intently, avoiding her mother-in-law's inquisitive blue green gaze. "If only I'd seen this years ago.I spent years pining after Luis, when his heart was probably hers all along. If they knew each other as children, why didn't they recognize each other when Sheridan returned to Harmony?" Ivy contemplated Beth's question. "Sheridan only has vague memories of her childhood before Alistair sent her to Paris. The majority of it was so unhappy. The other boy in the picture," Ivy changed the subject with a soft sigh, "The older one, kneeling in front of Sheridan." "That's Antonio. You remember him, don't you? There should be some more pictures in here somewhere.some you'll recognize." Beth murmured, flipping through the album to look for more pictures of Antonio. A horn sounded outside, and she transferred the album to Ivy and got up. "MJ! Your grandma's outside! You better hurry!" Beth said as she shooed him out the front door, chafing her hands over the legs of her jeans before she walked back to the sofa and peered over Ivy's shoulder. "That one," Beth pointed to a photo in the top right corner, "That picture was taken the day before Antonio disappeared. He always looked so serious in pictures. I don't think he ever smiled for the camera." Beth's voice, and then Cristian's, faded to the background as the sound of Ivy's accelerated heartbeat filled her ears, and her mind raced with questions. The pair of piercing dark eyes, now achingly familiar, stared at her unblinkingly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "I want someone on standby to collect the blood as soon as that baby's born.There's a nurse.Katie.Yes, that's her.Tell her to prepare Ali for the procedure, answer any questions she has and reassure her that this procedure is nothing to be scared about.Are there anymore signs of infection?.Run some more tests. Double check. Triple check.I want you to make damned sure her body's not going to.Yes, Matthews.I trust your capabilities as a physician.Maybe I AM a little too personally involved, but I don't give a damn. That little girl deserves every chance to live a long, happy life, and my desire to give her that life has nothing to do with whatever feelings, as you say, I may have for her mother. It has EVERYTHING to do with Ali herself. She's a very special little girl.We're about 45 minutes out of Harmony. Another 5 or 10 minutes to stop for gasoline.I'm there now.I'm trusting you, Matthews. Don't let me down," Nick's last words to his colleague held a bit of warning as he ended their conversation. He cursed under his breath as his cell phone slipped from his fingers, sliding back and forth across the floorboard as he swerved into the turning lane that led to the gas station at the last minute. He pulled the SUV up to the nearest available pump and parked it. "Abby? We're at the gas station, Abby, do you need anything?" Nick asked as he cracked open the driver's side door and prepared to get out. "Abby?" he repeated, reaching a hand out to gently cup her jaw. Abby didn't stir, the smallest whimper, barely audible, escaping her lips at the tender brush of his knuckles across her cheek. Nick smiled and leaned across the distance separating them to press his lips against her smooth temple. "Has anybody ever told you you're beautiful when you're sleeping?" The words slipped out before he could stop them, but he didn't negate them. He was surprised to find he didn't want to do anything of the sort. "Don't go anywhere.I'll be right back," he promised, opening and closing his door quietly. "Once," Abby whispered softly into the silence created by his exit. Her hazel eyes fluttered open as she shifted in the passenger seat, and one look into the rear-view mirror confirmed what she already knew. They were brimming with unshed tears, put there by a dream, a nightmare, that had been visiting her dreams with increasing frequency the past few weeks. It'd been ten years, and she could still see the rage in his eyes and the hard clench of jaw as he confronted her that fateful night. She closed her eyes, and a single crystal tear tracked down her cheek as she remembered. His breath smelled like whiskey when he grabbed her and kissed her, forcefully and hard. ~@~@~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Vincent!" Abby's palms, pushing against his lean, muscled chest, were as ineffectual as an ant trying to push a boulder up a hill. Vincent's hands gripped and pawed at the heavy winter jacket she'd worn for her walk, and his mouth was hard, bruising, on her lips as he crushed it to hers repeatedly, cutting off her protests. "Vin.Vincent, stop." Abby cried, tears of pain springing to her hazel eyes as she felt Vincent's long fingers clench in her long tawny hair and yank her head back. His eyes were wild and crazed, but it wasn't just the effects of the drugs and alcohol she knew to be in his system driving his madness. He knew. She could see it in his eyes, and the lecherous expression twisting his lips into ugliness made her heart sink. "You mean you're not happy to see me, Sweetheart? Come on, now. I'm your husband. You haven't seen me for months, and this is the welcome I get." Abby winced as his fingers tightened in her hair, and he shoved her body harder against the wall, pinning her there and not allowing her to move. "Vincent, I'm tired. I don't feel like making love. Please, let go of me. You're hurting me." "I'm hurting you? I'm sorry, Sweetheart. A husband should never lay a hand on his wife," Vincent said, as his fingers slipped from her hair, and he trailed his lips down her jawline, his fingers slipping the buttons of her black winter jacket free. "Vincent, no," Abby sobbed as he jerked the material from her shoulders, and his wild eyes grew even wilder as they gave her body a brief once-over, his fingers digging painfully into the tender skin of her upper arm. "But he can do whatever the hell he wants to a cheating whore like you," he growled, his eyes going cold and dead as he raised his fist in the air. She felt the metal tang of blood on her tongue as the world shifted on its axis, and she fell to the floor, Vincent's heavy body straddling her waist as he raised his fists again and again until she felt consciousness begin to slip away from her. His breath reeked of whiskey as he pressed his cheek against hers and whispered into her ear. "You've always been so beautiful when you sleep, Sweetheart." ~@~@~@~@~@~@~  
  
"Abby? Abby, are you okay?" Nick's voice was filled with concern as he took her in his arms and gently stroked her tawny hair. "Abby, talk to me," Nick pleaded, burying his nose into her sweet-smelling hair and wrapping his arms around her protectively as she sobbed against his shoulder. "You were fine when I left. You were sleeping. What happened? If you're upset about Ali, don't be. I'm going to do everything within my power to make her better. There's an excellent chance that the baby's a perfect match. It's all coming together, Abby. I can feel it. This isn't going to be Josh all over again. I'm going to save her, Abby, and Sheridan and Luis are going to have two of the most beautiful little girls to hold and love for the rest of their lives.Do you believe me, Abby?" Abby pulled back slowly, her hazel eyes glittering as her fingers lovingly traced his handsome features, and she nodded her tawny head. "I believe you, Gray Eyes." She poured her whole heart into the kiss she bestowed upon his lips, lingering and sweet, so much different than any kiss she'd ever given or received before. And her words were spoken with raw honesty because her heart loved him, even if the crazy little voice inside her head pleaded with her not to make the frightening leap again. But it was different this time. Different than Vincent. Different than anybody else. "You have all my trust and my faith." "Why?" Nick asked simply, his gray eyes clouding with confusion, "Abby, I don't think." Abby hushed him with a finger to his lips and answered him with a tearful smile. "I love you, Gray Eyes. It's as simple as that."  
  
Chapter 84  
  
"If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask," Katie smiled as she bent to kiss Ali's cheek. Ali's blue eyes sparkled as she slid her arms around Katie's neck and offered her a sweet smile. "Thank you, Katie." Katie cradled Ali close, and she pressed her lips against Ali's forehead. "No 'thank you's' necessary, Sweetie. I love you. Like you were my own little girl. Do you think your mommy and daddy would let me adopt you?" she teased. "No," Ali giggled as Katie carefully lay her back against the pillows and tapped the tip of her nose with her index finger. "But they'd let me adopt you. 'Cause I love you bunches." Katie laughed softly and laced her fingers through Ali's, resting their hands on her lap. "Are you excited about the new baby?" Katie asked, watching Ali's pretty little features blossom into a beautiful smile. "Uh huh. I had a dream about her last night." Katie's green eyes widened in surprise, "You did? What happened in your dream, Sweetie?" Ali's voice was soft and wistful as she described her dream to the last detail. Martin gently eased the door shut on his young granddaughter and Katie and looked down at the young boy shuffling his sneakered feet anxiously beside him. "I think we should come back later." "But Mr. Fitzgerald," Jake protested. "Ali's not going anywhere, Young Bennett," Martin gave the boy a twinkling smile. "Join me for a cup of hot cocoa. I think Miguel needs a break from those sisters of yours anyway." "Okay," Jake muttered, "but I'm going in and seeing her as soon as we get back." Martin chuckled at Jake's single-mindedness as he placed a firm, guiding hand on his shoulder. "I think it's about time for us to have a little talk about your intentions toward my granddaughter, don't you?" Jake's brown eyes grew round, and he gulped hard before shooting Martin an annoyed glare and shrugging away from his touch. Miguel's expression of ultimate relief when Jake told Emily and Sara about his invitation only made Martin laugh harder. Emmy slid her little hand in Martin's, her favorite doll tucked beneath her other arm, and gazed up at him with curious brown eyes as they trekked down the hall toward the elevators, "What does Miguel mean, Mr. Fitz? Does he owe you money?" Jake snickered at his sister's innocent question, and Sara echoed his naughty laughter even though she was just as confused as Emily. Martin sidestepped the child's question with a question of his own, "How many marshmallows do you want in your cocoa, Miss Emily?" "The whole bag!" Emmy exclaimed with a giggle as Martin swept her up in his arms and stepped inside the open elevator. "I get to push the buttons!" Sara cried triumphantly, hurriedly pushing the buttons to various floors before Jake could stop her. "Great, Sara," Jake grumbled, crossing his arms and rolling his brown eyes at her childishness, "We'll make it to the moon before we ever get to the cafeteria. You're such a baby sometimes." "Take it back," Sara demanded with an angry pout. "No way," Jake shot back stubbornly. Emmy patted Martin's cheek, anxiety making her brown eyes well, "Mr. Fitz? Are we really going to the moon?" Martin sighed when the elevator doors opened at the first of the many floors they would be visiting before hot cocoa ever became a reality and wondered for the first time if this had been such a great idea after all.  
  
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"Here, Babe," Hank said softly as he handed Gwen one of the steaming cups of coffee he'd picked up from the Book Café on his way over, "I figured you needed the real stuff." Gwen smiled up at him as she wrapped her hands around the cup, absorbing the warmth it emitted. "Bennett? Where are the girls?" A slow grin tugged at the corners of Hank's mouth, "Oh, they're around." "Oh God," Gwen groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "You brought them with you, didn't you? And you actually let them out of your sight? Hank, do you have any idea how much trouble Sara can get herself into inside this hospital? She'll probably beg an orderly to re-enact that commercial. You know.the old one with the York peppermint patties." Hank chuckled, "You know that does look like fun. They're downstairs harassing Miguel. Does that make you feel better?" "No," Gwen said, unable to resist returning his smile. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his gently. "Thanks, Bennett." "For the coffee? Sure, Babe," Hank said, sliding his fingers through hers and giving her hand a small squeeze. "For impregnating me with the world's first clone, and doing it a second and.and doing it a second time," she laughed as she twined her arms around his neck. "They're really happy," Ethan murmured, and Theresa slowly turned back to look at him. "Yes, they are," she agreed. "I think it's great that they found each other. Fate couldn't have brought two more different people together, but they're perfect for each other." Ethan's blue eyes danced as he studied her face, and he smiled. "I thought you didn't believe in Fate anymore, Theresa. What changed your mind?" Theresa wore a thoughtful expression as she pondered his question. "I don't know really. I just feel I'm where I'm supposed to be in my life now, with the person I'm supposed to be with. Does that make sense?" "Perfect Theresa sense," Ethan teased, watching her brown eyes and face light up with happiness as she looked ahead of her, and the sound of steady, approaching footsteps reached his consciousness at the exact moment that he realized there was only one person who could make her smile like that. Theresa was out of her chair and wrapped around Chad in the blink of an eye. "Chad! I'm so glad you're here!" Chad let his suitcase slip to the floor and wrapped his arms more firmly around her, nuzzling her dark hair. "You know I'd do anything for my girls, T-girl. And you and Auntie and Squirt are my girls. How is she, Girl?" Theresa reached down for Chad's hand and waited for him to retrieve his suitcase before she led him toward the stretch of vacant chairs to Ethan's right. "She's good. She seems a little scared, but she's got Mama and Luis in there with her talking her through it." "What about Squirt?" Theresa smiled at the old nickname. "Papa said Katie talked to Ali and told her how the baby's cord blood was going to give her the same cells she would have gotten from Cristian's bone marrow, and she was fine with it as soon as Katie assured her it wouldn't scare or hurt the baby." 'That's my girl," Chad grinned proudly, "So Auntie's been at this how long?" "Since last night," Theresa told him, "but she only told Luis about it this morning." "Stubborn," Chad shook his head. "I'm surrounded by stubborn women."  
  
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"Dammit, Sheridan," Luis swore softly as he felt her fingers tighten around his hand as another, more intense contraction struck, "You always have to do things the hard way, don't you?" Pilar watched the monitors with a small smile on her lips. "I think this is another.pot.and kettle.moment," Sheridan panted, relaxing her hold on both Luis's and Pilar's hands as the contraction ended. "We have those pretty regular, don't we?" Luis teased, brushing her damp blond hair back from her forehead, and Sheridan's blue eyes sparkled at the knowing smirk Pilar failed to hide. "How much fun would it be if we agreed all the time?" Sheridan leaned into Luis's touch. She winced as she felt the tightening begin again in her abdomen and another contraction started to creep up on her. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she was left gasping at the unexpected intensity of the pain. "Eve?" Pilar looked up when Eve entered the room, along with Sheridan's doctor and a nurse. "Sheridan," Eve spoke soothingly, staring unflinchingly into Sheridan's blue eyes, "before you ask, your baby's doing fine. Her heart rate's normal, and everything we know at this point is encouraging, but." "Sheridan," the woman beside Eve interrupted, "She's coming. We know that. It's too late to stop her now. But she's taking a long time to get here, and." "We want to perform a C-section, Sheridan," Eve jumped in, " Get the baby out, start strengthening her lungs.she's got a long road ahead of her. It's up to you. I can tell you, though, that at the first sign of distress, an emergency C-section will be performed anyway." Sheridan searched Luis's dark eyes and found her answer. "Do it." "Lisa," the OB-GYN turned to the young nurse, "Get Sheridan prepped and ready. Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald.I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Pilar bent at the waist to press cool lips against Sheridan's forehead in a motherly kiss, and gave Luis a reassuring smile as she followed Eve outside. "Mijo.Mija.everything's going to be fine." Sheridan closed her eyes with a tired sigh. All they could do was hope.  
  
  
Chapter 85 "There," Nick murmured, placing the newly fluffed pillow back behind Ali's head, "that should do it. All comfy now, Ali?" Ali tucked her bunny close to her heart and nodded her head slowly, a bit worn out by the events of the long day. Excitement and hope still shone brightly in her pretty blue eyes though, and those emotions made Nick's heart swell to capacity. He lifted a hand to Ali's smooth cheek, and the corners of Ali's pink mouth curved upward gently with his softly spoken whisper. "You're very important to me, Ali. Do you know that?" Ali's blue eyes sparkled in the dimly lit hospital room as she nuzzled one of her bunny's long pink ears, hiding the flash of her pearly teeth at his comment. "Ali, I'm sorry for not being here. I'm sorry for leaving and." Ali laced her small fingers through Nick's much larger ones. "It's okay, Dr. Nick. I'm not scared. Not anymore. Really," she told him reassuringly as he pressed his lips to the palm of the tiny hand cradled in his and offered her a smile of disbelief as he felt some of the weight of his guilt slowly start to lift off of his shoulders. She was so brave. Much braver than he, Nick ruminated silently, remembering Abby's shocking disclosure more than an hour earlier and his reaction. His lack of reaction really. He'd made a mistake. A really big mistake, and he wasn't sure how to fix it. "Are you sad about Molly, Dr. Nick?" Ali questioned innocently. "She was a very nice lady. She took care of my mommy and loved her when me and Daddy thought she was in Heaven just like you did. And she always hugged me like I was a teddy bear," Ali revealed with twinkling blue eyes. Missing Molly was only partly to blame, Nick answered the little girl in his mind, but he nodded anyway. "I still miss Aunt Kay," Ali whispered softly. "I'm sure you do," Nick sighed, stroking the baby soft skin at Ali's wrists with the pads of his thumbs. "Your aunt Kay was a crazy, wonderful lady," he said with a chuckle. "I wish I'd had the chance to get to know her better." Ali's blue eyes were understanding and full of compassion, and it struck Nick in that precise moment that the little girl in front of him had already lived a more tumultuous life in her short nine years than many people three times her age. "Aunt Kay's my guardian angel," Ali divulged quietly. "I dream about her all the time, and she shows me the most wonderful things." "What are these wonderful things she shows you, Ali?" Nick prodded gently. "Last night she showed me the future," Ali smiled brightly. "Last night she showed me Hope."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Theresa paced the halls restlessly while Chad looked on, his expression a hybrid of an amused smirk and his own worry. "Theresa.Girl, you're makin' my head spin. Come sit down. Talk to me. All that walkin' ain't gonna make that baby come any faster." Theresa plopped heavily down beside him with an exasperated sigh, glowering when his amused laughter rang in her ears a second later. "Don't, Chad. Don't say it. I can't help it. Neither could you. You know you'll be ten times worse when it's me in there!" Theresa blurted, brown eyes going comically wide when she realized exactly what she'd said. Her hands flapped frantically in the air as she tried to form two sensible words, and Chad's dark brow only inched higher on his forehead, his smirk oddly infuriating to her. "I mean.I mean.oh, Chad, you know what I mean," Theresa groaned, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment. Chad gently pried Theresa's hands from her face, forcing her to meet his eyes with a finger to her chin. His dark eyes danced happily as he teasingly asked her, "What DO you mean, T-girl? You sayin' you want to have babies with me?" Theresa huffed in irritation and rolled her big brown eyes at his annoying teasing. "You don't think I've grown up enough to be a mother, do you?" Chad grinned, obviously deciding silence on the matter was his best bet. "If Hank can do it," Theresa began, only to be cut off by Chad's helpless laughter. "If Hank can do it, I KNOW I can," Theresa grumbled as Chad pulled her into his arms and smoothed her hair back from her face. "Yeah, but he's got Gwen to keep him in line," Chad chuckled. "I have you," Theresa retorted, triumph glistening in her brown eyes. "When do we start?" Chad smirked. "Well," Theresa said somewhat shyly, her fingers playing with his collar, "We should get married first."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "What's the matter, Babe?" Hank grinned as he watched his wife shake her golden blond head, first at Theresa and Chad in the far corner then at Beth and Ethan stepping onto the elevator down the hall, "Having another 'Twilight Zone' moment?" Cristian looked up to Hank curiously. "Harmony's not like other towns," Hank said simply, chuckling when he realized the confusion hadn't left the youngster's enormous brown eyes. "You like Beth, don't you?" Hank changed the subject. "Yeah," Cristian answered softly. "She's nice." "Really nice," Hank agreed, "Did you know she's been friends with me and your dad since before we knew how to tie our shoestrings? Well, your dad knew how to, but he always was ahead of the game.guess that's why he always got the girl. What, Babe?" Hank demanded of his wife when she failed to hide the roll of her brown eyes from him. "As I was saying," Hank turned back to Cristian, "I've known Beth a long time. It's not such a big surprise you like her. Now, as for those 'Twilight Zone' moments we were discussing earlier." "Bennett," Gwen interrupted. "You realize we haven't heard from Martin or the kids in over an hour, don't you? I'm worried about Martin." "Don't worry, Babe," Hank quipped. "This place isn't exactly swarming with brown uniforms yet." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"You're not going to find her Mr. Fitz," Emmy worried. "Sara always wins Hide and Seek." Martin glanced down at Jake, and the young boy hurriedly wiped the smirk off of his face. "She's telling the truth, Mr. Fitzgerald. Dad had to call Uncle Sam one time because he lost her. She was hiding in the laundry room underneath a pile of Dad's smelly clothes," Jake grinned wickedly. "It was the perfect hiding place. Dad hates to do laundry. Maybe we should call Uncle Sam now," Jake suggested. "I think we can manage fine on our own, Young Bennett," Martin declined, setting Emmy on her feet with a groan. "Don't let go of my hand, Lass. We'll find your sister, and when we do." Jake rolled his brown eyes good- naturedly. Mr. Fitzgerald reminded him an awful lot of Uncle Luis when he refused to call Uncle Sam. What was that word Mom was always calling Ali's mom and dad? The word escaped him at the moment, but Jake was sure his mom would call Mr. Fitzgerald the same thing if she were here right now. Grown- ups were more mixed-up than kids if you asked him. He followed Martin and Emmy, her favorite doll trailing behind her forlornly, to the thousandth nurses' desk they'd visited in the last hour and tried to hold his laughter in when the nurse told them about a doctor's missing lab coat. Wherever Sara was, he bet she was having WAY more fun than he was.  
  
  
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Sara giggled mischievously as she scampered through the hall, brown eyes darting back and forth and keeping a look-out for the mean-looking man from the picture attached to the long white coat she had borrowed. Her mouth fell open in surprise when she saw Abby standing at the end of the long hallway, looking into some kind of window. Sara frowned when she realized Abby seemed sad, and she started to creep forward in concern when she heard a noise behind her. She gasped and scrambled behind a row of chairs when a woman she recognized as Ivy Crane strode purposefully past her, heading straight for Abby. Thoughts of the trouble she'd be in if Ivy or Abby caught her had Sara fleeing down the hall as soon as she knew neither woman was watching.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Abby lifted a shaky hand to the clear window, pressing her forehead against the glass as her hazel eyes flitted over the row of bassinets holding the tiny, precious lives. The corners of her mouth quirked upward in a wistful smile as she watched one baby in particular. With its head full of dark hair and long black lashes resting against skin of perfect olive tones, the squirming child was a picture of hauntingly familiar beauty. Unshed tears clung to her pale lashes when she whipped her head around at the sound of Ivy's approaching footsteps, and she rubbed at her hazel eyes with the back of her hand in slight embarrassment. Abby laughed awkwardly as Ivy's penetrating stare went on and on, wrapping her arms around her waist protectively. "One of the horrors of PMS. Brings out my inner emotional sap. They're all so beautiful. That one.that one there," she pointed toward the now squalling infant that'd captured her attention earlier. "She's somewhat what I imagine the new baby to look like.Ivy?" Abby's hazel eyes snapped back to Ivy's disconcertingly calm face in astonishment as she took the picture Ivy held out to her. "Where did you.what are you doing with this? It's mine. What are you doing with my picture?" Ivy's blue-green eyes were suddenly cold and the tone of her voice sent chills of apprehension down Abby's spine. "How do you know this man? How long have you known Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald?" 


	18. Chapter 86

Chapter 86  
  
".and the doctor said Joshua was a real fast learner, Dad, and that she bet he got that from his big brother," MJ finished with a proud grin. Miguel's dark eyes twinkled up at Grace, and the smile on his face stretched even wider when his mother-in-law confirmed what MJ said to be true. "Dr. Sampson's impressed with how helpful MJ is to his little brother, Miguel." "Yeah, Dad," MJ gave his father his best smile "And since I'm SO helpful, I deserve a raise in my allowance." "Dr. Sampson said that?" Miguel smirked. "Actually," MJ admitted reluctantly after a quick glance at his grandma, "**I** said it, but that doesn't mean it's not true, Dad. Grandpa, help me out here." Sam chuckled without looking up from Kendall and Joshua playing with Noah's old childhood collection of trucks in the floor. He reached down and helped Kendall push his fire truck over a hump in the blanket, ruffling the child's sandy blond locks when he flashed him a shy, grateful smile, then lifted his blue eyes to his eldest grandson. "I think the kid definitely deserves a raise, Miguel," Sam declared slyly, biting back a grin at MJ's triumphant, almost giddy expression. "I don't think a quarter more a week will put too much strain on your wallet." MJ's mouth fell open in horror. "GRANDPA!" Katie giggled girlishly at the scene, turning back to Noah with a sweet smile. "Your family are wonderful, Noah." "We have our moments," Noah agreed, reaching up a gentle hand and tucking an errant strand of Katie's soft hair behind her ear. He frowned slightly at the dark circles beneath her tired green eyes. "Katie, you're." "Noah Bennett," Katie chided him teasingly, "Don't say it. Don't even bring it up again. I'm not going anywhere. I made a promise to Luis and Sheridan, Ali, and myself that I was going to be here until the end, and I keep my promises so you see.you're not going to change my mind." Noah's smile lit up his silver-blue eyes. "Are you sure? I'd be more than happy to hold you while you took a short nap. Just a tiny one." "Katie's good for him," Grace commented with a small smile as she and Miguel watched Noah take a seat a few feet away and reach up to pull Katie into his arms. Miguel crossed his arms about his middle and nodded his silent agreement. "Noah's never been this serious about ANY woman. I think he's finally met the one," Grace lowered her voice to a confidential whisper. Miguel shifted uneasily in his chair at the personal, delicate turn the conversation had taken, fixing his gaze on the NO SMOKING sign across the hall, and he sighed guilty when he heard the apologetic tone of Grace's voice as realization struck her moments later. "Miguel, I'm sorry."  
  
Miguel tucked his chin against his chest and let his eyes rest on his two boys, his and Kay's two boys, getting along better than they ever had. Sure, he had his own heartaches and regrets. He didn't think there'd ever come a point in time when missing her wasn't an every day occurrence. But, more than anything, he hated that she wouldn't be around when their boys grew into men-his biggest source of hurt. He swallowed painfully when he felt Grace's gentle touch on his forearm, and his brown eyes were bright with emotion as he let her fold him into her arms. "It's going to get better, Miguel. You have to believe that. WE have to believe that. No one will ever take her place, but, as painful and unbelievable as it sounds now, you WILL move on. We all will."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Shane chuckled at the squirming little brunette trapped in his strong embrace. "Something tells me this," he commented on the long, flowing white lab coat Sara sported, "doesn't belong to you. Unless, of course, the Harmony witch I keep hearing about transformed Dr. Joseph Edmonds into a Munchkin." Sara bristled indignantly, completely missing the teasing quality of Shane's voice. "Hey! Don't call me that. That's.that's disc.discr.disgusting. Yeah, it's disgusting," she grumbled, pushing against Shane's broad shoulders and launching into another valiant effort to get down and loose. Shane continued to chuckle in amusement, tightening his arms around Sara's ever-wiggling body as he strode further down the hallway where he'd first discovered her. More aptly, the hallway where their hit-and-run had occurred, and the ball of Bennett energy had nearly knocked him flat on his ass. He was on a mission to restore the child in his arms to her rightful caregiver, and maybe find his wayward baby sister in the process. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "How long have I.I don't understand," Abby sputtered as Ivy snatched the photograph back from her hands. "Give me that," she ordered. "It's mine." Abby's mind whirled as she tried to process what Ivy had said just moments before. Dammit to hell, as if she needed any more stress and tension. It already felt like a bongo drum was pounding inside her head as it were. Ivy refused Abby's demand, pointing her finger at her accusingly. "You know where he is. Tell me." Incensed and confused at Ivy's icy tone, Abby struggled to keep her voice even and low under her unflinching glare. "I don't know where he is. It's been ten years.Even if I did know, it's none of your damn business, Ivy. You don't have all your facts straight so BACK.OFF. I don't know what kind of high-dollar narcotic you're high on, but the man in that picture is NOT Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald. His name is.you know what? I don't have to take anymore of this golly . It's been a very long and upsetting day. I'm leaving before either of us says or does something we can't take back. For Shane's sake, I hope you don't follow me. Keep the damned picture," Abby muttered tiredly, raking her fingers through her messy tawny hair as she stalked toward the emergency stairwell. Watching her leave, Ivy couldn't help but think she was telling the truth as she knew it. A more twisted truth than ever, she realized, mustering up a smile when Shane emerged at the end of the hallway, toting Gwen's recovered daughter. Pushing all thoughts of Abby's murky connection to Pilar's long-lost son away, Ivy met him halfway. There WAS a baby being born, after all. '*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "She's going to be fine," Eve smiled gently at Sheridan as she helped her don the light blue surgical cap. "Babies are born early every day, and they make it." "Not all of them," Sheridan murmured softly, lines of worry and fatigue around her eyes and mouth. "Not all of them," Eve said honestly, "but most of them." The expression in Eve's brown eyes was soft and hopeful, and Sheridan sent a grateful smile the older woman's way when she gave her hand a friendly, reassuring squeeze. "No thanks needed, Sheridan. Maggie told you what to expect during and after the delivery?" Sheridan nodded, her blue eyes straying from Eve's face as more hospital personnel began to fill the delivery room. "Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," a warm, honey-smooth voice greeted from the head of the operating table, "I'm Sela, your anesthesiologist. It's my job to make sure you'll be comfortable during the delivery. Are you having a girl or boy?" "Girl," Sheridan answered softly, thankful for the distraction from the swirl of activity as the team hurriedly readied for the operation that would usher her baby daughter into the world. "A mighty beautiful little baby girl from the looks of things if that gorgeous man Nancy's helping get ready outside is your husband. Some women have all the luck," Sela teased, giving Eve a wink as she turned back to the various monitors and machines that recorded Sheridan's vitals and those of the baby. "Yes, they do," Eve agreed, looking up and meeting Luis's worried dark eyes as he entered the room and rushed to Sheridan's side. "It's time for me to go now. You'll be fine, Sheridan. You, the baby, Ali.all of you." "She's right, Baby," Luis echoed Eve's words, taking Sheridan's cold, clammy hand in both of his and clasping it tightly. "Everything's going to be all right, and soon, we're going to meet our little angel." "Very soon, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Maggie's blue eyes sparkled kindly behind the glasses perched on the end of her nose. "He won't be so ready for their teenage-years, will he, Sheridan? You'll have young men lined up for miles for your little beauties, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Miles. At least the girls are pretty far apart in age. Consider yourself lucky. Mine are sixteen and fourteen, and they make life a wonderful living hell," the OB- GYN revealed jovially. "Once we get in, this is going to go fairly quickly," she warned. Sheridan smiled softly at Luis's stricken expression and knew it was the visions of their future as parents of teenagers making him appear green and not the incision into the first layer of tissue of her rounded abdomen that Eve and her doctor had prepared him for. "Ali's not going to date 'til she's forty, is she?" "Fifty," Luis corrected her after a few more seconds of stunned silence. "Sheridan," he whispered in breathless awe as a tiny cry filled the room, "She's here. She's so.." "Exquisite, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald," Sela picked up where Luis left off, keeping one eye on the monitors to her right, and the other on the tiny infant being attended to by a team of medical experts . "Precious and petite with a head full of black hair. Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, that baby's got you written all over her." Luis grinned proudly, too choked up with emotion to say anything as one of the nurses paused at the head of the operating table, giving them the briefest of glances of their newborn daughter before sweeping her out of the room. Though both Maggie and Eve had warned her it would happen, Sheridan still wasn't prepared for the feelings that coursed through her when one nurse left, taking her daughter with her to the NICU, and another left, carrying Ali's hope for the future. Helpless tears pricked at her blue eyes, and she leaned into Luis as he offered what comfort he could. "Shh, Baby. We're going to make it through this. Stronger than ever."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ali awakened with a soft gasp, bringing Nick and Pilar to her side instantly. "Mija," Pilar whispered softly with a tender caress to Ali's silky cheek. Her fingers fluttered across her granddaughter's pretty features, pausing as they traced Ali's sweet smile. "Mija?" Pilar's voice rose in question as she searched the brilliance of Ali's blue eyes for answers. "Ali?" Nick wondered quietly, his gray eyes scanning over Ali's small form in worry as he enfolded her tiny hand between his larger ones. "What is it?" "Nana," the endearment left Ali's lips on a soft sigh. "Tell Dr. Nick it's going to be okay now. She's here. Hope's here." "Hope?" Nick asked. Slowly, her own smile blossoming, Pilar raised joyful brown eyes to Nick's disbelieving gray eyes. "The baby. She's talking about her sister." "How could she." Nick trailed off as a nurse appeared outside Ali's hospital door holding up an IV bag. Nick's smile transformed his handsome face, and he sprang into action, ushering the nurse inside. "It's a match, Dr. Taylor. A perfect match," the young woman announced. "Are you ready, Ali? It's past damn time we got you better." Chapter 87  
  
"I'm sure the entire staff of Harmony Hospital joins us, Shane, in thanking you for returning our dear, sweet, grounded daughter to us safely," Gwen punctuated her words of thanks by giving a scowling Sara a firm squeeze. "Grounded! But Mom." Sara grumbled, casting an annoyed glance in Shane's direction, "I was only having fun. I didn't hurt nobody." "Anybody," Gwen automatically corrected, regarding her young daughter skeptically. "Maybe not, Sara, but you worried us, and sometimes not knowing what's happening is as bad as actually hurting someone. Understand?" Sara crossed her arms across her middle stubbornly and huffed at the bothersome tangle of brown hair falling across her brown eyes. "But grounded? Why?" Sara whined as Gwen gently grasped her by the elbow and led her to the row of chairs occupied by the rest of her assembled family. Disgusted, Sara plopped down in the seat beside Jake, continuing to shoot Shane mean looks whenever she thought her mother wasn't looking. "Dear Lord," Ivy uttered softly beside him, "I just realized.Rebecca's given me that exact look hundreds of times. It's positively lethal." Shane turned to Ivy sporting an amused smirk. "You're still breathing so I guess that's not entirely true. Ivy? You mentioned you saw Abby earlier. Did she seem okay to you?" Ivy remembered the photograph tucked safely in her purse and Abby's strange reaction when she'd confronted her about it earlier. She decided honesty, even if it were only partial honesty, would work best in this situation. "I didn't want to worry you," Ivy sighed regretfully. "She DID seem upset about something. She wouldn't say what." Shane raised a hand to his chin thoughtfully then leaned down to give Ivy a quick kiss on the cheek. "Shane?" Ivy questioned as he moved past her, heading straight for the elevators. "I'll be back. Give my best wishes, okay?" "Mother?" Ethan queried softly as Ivy settled in the chair beside him. "What was that about?" "Nothing serious, Darling," Ivy smiled and patted her son's arm fondly. "Shane just went to find Abby and tell her the news about the baby." Beth appeared before them and handed Ethan one of the cups of coffee in her hands. "Ivy, I'm so sorry. You can have mine if you want," Beth offered. "The last thing I need is more caffeine. I won't get a wink of sleep as it is." "Are you sure? I can get my own if you." Beth grabbed Ivy's hand and placed the cup in it, waiting until Ivy's fingers curled around the cup before dropping her hand back to her side. "Positive," Beth laughed lightly, taking the empty seat at Ivy's side. The trio sat in silence for several seconds, contemplating the long day's events, until the hush was ended with Beth's simple, softly uttered question. "Do you think it worked?" Ethan sprang from his chair and started to pace in a restless circle. "I don't know," Ivy murmured. "It's early yet, but I'm sure Luis will be back soon with encouraging news."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "She's beautiful. Beautiful and tiny. So tiny, Katie, she could almost fit in the palm of my hand," Luis revealed, his brown eyes misty as he clutched Katie's trim body close in a tight hug. "She's so tiny," he continued to whisper as Katie pulled back and gave him a gentle smile. "But strong," Katie reminded him encouragingly, "with an iron will. I know everything's not free and clear yet, but I think it's time we all paused and took a breath. Look at your daughter in there, Luis," Katie suggested, and Luis followed her suggestion, breathing deeply for the first time in many long months at the sight that met his deep brown eyes. He knew it was probably foolish to think he could actually see positive results so early, but his little AliCat had a sense of serenity about her as she lay there in her hospital bed, patiently receiving the gift her new baby sister had given her. "Breathe, Luis. It's not going to be smooth sailing," Katie said honestly, sweeping a gentle but firm hand over Luis's back as she spoke, "but the worst of the storm has passed. It's okay to breathe now." Luis turned his head to the side, hiding his tearful brown eyes and face, and Katie could literally see the worry and tension of the past several months start to drain out of his tired body as he let down his guard and crumpled before her. When it was over, a catharsis she realized they'd both needed terribly, Luis turned around and wrapped Katie in a brotherly hug, repeating Ali's earlier words and making Katie laugh happily amidst her own tears. "I'd love to become an honorary member of the Lopez-Fitzgerald family. Where do I sign up?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "More rooftop musings, Baby Girl?" Shane teased lightly as he emerged from the shadows, shrugging off his own heavy winter coat and wrapping it around Abby's slim shoulders. He kissed the crown of her tousled tawny head affectionately as she leaned back against his chest, no protestations leaving her mouth about his use of the hated nickname. His whole demeanor changed then, and his worry showed in the extra tight hold of his arms around her as he hugged her as close as humanly possibly, his quiet words ruffling her silky hair and making it tickle his chin. "Something happened." Abby bowed her head against the cold, wintery wind as it whipped around them, and Shane had to strain his ears to hear her softly spoken words of defeat. "He didn't say it back. I spilled everything to him. It was a crazy, bloody mess. I told him that I loved him, and he didn't say a word. And I'm not up to hearing any more of your damned 'I told you so's' so save 'em, okay?" Abby muttered, pulling herself from his arms and stalking closer to the building's edge. "You haven't told him everything, have you?" Shane surmised, noting the look of surprise that flashed across her delicate features. "Don't worry, Runt," he laughed shortly, steering the subject back to something only a little less dangerous-his sister's feelings for a certain doctor. "No 'I told you so's' from these lips. I'm not sure Taylor even knows what's in his heart, but trust me.you're in there. He just hasn't figured out why or what the hell it means." "Oh, thank you, wise Yoda," Abby cracked, rolling her hazel eyes at him and returning her gaze back to the soft shine of the lights of Harmony. "Or would Obi Wan be more appropriate? Stop going all Dr. Phil on my ass, Shane. It's the last thing I need right now." Shane chuckled. "Yoda, Obi Wan, and Dr. Phil. Which one is it? Personally, I think I've got them all beat in the looks department." "Smartass. And a modest one at that," Abby grumbled, trying without succeeding to hide the twinkle in her hazel eyes at his silliness. She felt herself dissolving into a warm mush of affection for him, and inexplicably, the tears from earlier started to flow again. She knew he would have been wonderful, just what they needed, and the regrets were too much. Maybe if she hadn't shut him out.maybe things wouldn't have happened the way they did. If she'd never met Tony in the first place, Vincent wouldn't have.. Abby felt the world she'd created for herself since he'd left so suddenly closing in on her as the realization sank in, and it was like she was back in that horrible, dark place in her past again, waking up alone and terrified in a hospital bed. Her Tony and Pilar's long-lost Antonio were one in the same. She let her big brother wipe away her tears and make a fool out of himself trying to make her smile again, but his efforts, no matter how appreciated, only served to make the tears come faster and harder. "Ten, Shane. Ten," she sobbed. "It hurts. Oh God, it still hurts." Shane folded her in his strong embrace and lay his smooth-shaven cheek back against the crown of her tawny head, murmuring quiet words of little comfort.  
  
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A gentle knock sounded at the door, and Sheridan answered it without opening her heavy-lidded eyes. "Come in." She heard the soft, hesitant shuffle of little feet across the small distance and Pilar's hushed words of encouragement and a tiny, loving smile caressed her lips as she held out a welcoming hand. "Mommy!" Her eyes flew open, bright, beautiful, and blue as she found her arms full with her sweet little son. Cristian cupped his small hands around her face, looking into her eyes solemnly. Satisfied, he nestled closer to her on the bed, resting his dark head against her shoulder with a soft sigh. "You're back." Sheridan tenderly fingered the soft hair at the nape of his neck, laughing though she felt the most awful urge to cry as she teased him about needing a haircut. "He refused to let me touch it, Mija," Pilar's dark eyes sparkled with humor. "He feared I would give him a haircut like MJ's." "No," Cristian replied, adorably flustered. "I want Porky Pine hair like Daddy's, and Nana doesn't know how to do spikes. Jake said she'd make me look like." Sheridan cupped a hand over Cristian's mouth before he could utter anything further incriminating against himself and found herself sharing a smile with Pilar, her mood already a bit lighter. "That child's mouth," Pilar mused. "Always getting him in trouble."  
  
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"Mr. Fitz," Jake said, adopting Emmy's name for Ali's grandpa. "Why are grown-ups so gross?" Martin glanced over Jake's shoulder and spied his daughter and Chad sharing a happy, loving embrace. "Where's your sense of romance, young Bennett?" Martin asked, keeping a straight face despite Jake's disgusted expression. "Romance?" Jake pretended to gag. "I'm never going to be romantic. It makes you do stupid things like kiss all the time. Like THEM," he pointed to Theresa and Chad with an exaggerated shudder. "Sheridan and Uncle Luis are worse though. Nobody can beat them. Romance stinks." Martin chuckled. "That's what you think now, but I'm willing to bet you'll change your mind one day. She's young, but Ali's already a romantic at heart, you know," Martin divulged, the corners of his mouth twitching while his eyes twinkled merrily at the youth as he digested the helpful little tidbit. Martin laughed out loud when he realized how wrong he was. "If I bet you $5 right now that you're wrong, adding a dollar for every year that I PROVE you wrong, I'll end up rich. Sounds like a pretty good deal, Mr. Fitz. Wanna shake on it?" Jake grinned, extending a hand to Martin. "What do I get in return if you lose this bet of ours?" Martin wondered. "Who says I'll lose? Love and romance, "Jake cringed. "Double YUCK. And I'm never getting married either. Dad says bachelors have the good life.oh man," Jake muttered when he saw his mom gave his dad what could only be described as the death glare. "Your father looks like he could use a little help," Martin made the obvious suggestion, still chuckling as he closed the distance between himself and Eve, who approached them with a hopeful smile.  
  
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"Thank them for me, Noah, for taking such wonderful care of Kendall," Katie said sincerely as they watched Grace and Sam walk toward the elevators, each holding a sleepy toddler. Joshua twirled strands of Grace's auburn hair around his little fingers, his legs twined high around her waist while Kendall slumped like a sack of potatoes against Sam's broad shoulder, sucking absently at his thumb. "They love that kid more than they do me," Noah stated, "and you're just part of the family." Katie gave Miguel a friendly wave as he steered a stumbling, barely awake MJ in the same direction and turned back to Noah with a smile on her face. "Part of the family? Really?" Katie beamed at him in pleasure. "You know how much I love your family. It's what I want for me and Kendall.with someone special," Katie's voice dropped to a whisper as she gazed directly at him, ".someday." A slow, easy grin blossomed on Noah's handsome face in return, and he felt himself falling even more in love with her at that moment. Her pretty, embarrassed smile and green eyes still aglow with happiness even now when the preliminary results from Ali's tests were more than an hour old. "Why not make someday come sooner?" Noah suggested, his voice equally teasing and filled with nervous hope as he prepared to ask her the most important question of his life. "Will you marry me, Katie?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nick pushed the door to Sheridan's room open slowly, stepping in carefully and quietly in an attempt to avoid waking her only to discover her wide awake and, apparently, expecting him even though the news about Ali was already old news at this point. "I hear she's the most beautiful baby in the NICU. I don't know why everyone's so surprised considering who her mother is," he murmured as he took a seat in the empty chair at her bedside. Sheridan bowed her head, studying her own hands intently as she twisted the rings on her finger. Nick recognized the nervous gesture and felt the first pangs of guilt creeping up on him for adding to the already awkward atmosphere that always seemed to surround them whenever they found themselves alone in a room together. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." He looked up at the feeling of Sheridan's hand covering his own, and he released a relieved sigh when he saw the understanding in her blue eyes. "You're not even mine to let go, are you?" Nick said sadly. "There was no Jenny. You were always Sheridan. Always married to another man, but still I loved you. Or at least I thought I did," Nick trailed off, closing his gray eyes as he remembered another face. Eyes of a different color watching him so intently, waiting for his reaction to a declaration of love. "Maybe," Sheridan whispered, giving his hand a compassionate squeeze, "maybe you and Jenny never had a proper goodbye. She's gone forever, Nick. Let her go and move on." Nick nodded slowly, raising a hand to cup Sheridan's jaw gently as he leaned closer, his thumb absently caressing her cheek. "Just once," Nick breathed, mere seconds before his lips met and brushed lightly against hers in their first and only kiss. His gray eyes stared at her in wonder as he pulled back. It was as if he were seeing her, Sheridan, for the very first time, and his heart filled with gratitude for the understanding still present in her thoughtful blue gaze. "Thank you," he said simply. "Friends?" "You've saved my life AND my baby girl's. What do you think?" Sheridan offered him an amiable smile. She patted his cheek affectionately as he kissed her quickly on the cheek and headed for the door. On his way to find Abby she knew. "Friends," Sheridan agreed. "If you see Luis, send him my way. I can't rest without him by my side," she told him sheepishly, "Silly I know." Nick smiled knowingly. "Not silly at all."  
  
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"Tink! Tink, wait up!" Hank lunged after Abby as she fled down the hall, away from the scene the three of them had just left in open-mouthed astonishment. "Bennett," Gwen warned, laying a restraining hand on Hank's arm. "Let her go." "Let her go?" Hank said incredulously. "You saw her earlier. She was obviously upset before she saw whatever the hell THAT was," he swore angrily. "Visiting hours were over hours ago. We shouldn't have seen what we did." "Damn right," Hank agreed, jerking his arm from Gwen's hold when he saw Nick emerge from Sheridan's hospital room several feet down the hall. "It shouldn't have happened in the first place." "Bennett," Gwen hissed as her husband stalked toward 'Don't do anything.STUPID," she winced when Hank's punch took Nick off-guard, and he stumbled back against the wall, clutching his jaw in surprise. "You dirty bastard!" Hank got up in Nick's face, with Gwen hurrying to his side to try to pull him away. "How dare you kiss another man's wife?!" Nick's gray eyes widened, and he started to explain. One look into Gwen's own accusing brown eyes, though, told him none of his explanations would make any sense or account for committing such a wrong in their eyes so he shut his mouth, perhaps wisely so. He was just glad he didn't have to explain the delicate situation to Abby. He doubted she'd understand in one night what took him years to figure out. "You're lucky Luis didn't see what we did. You'd be dead meat, Pal. For taking advantage of the gratitude Sheridan feels toward you for saving Ali's life not to mention breaking his friend's heart." Nick's gray eyes snapped to Gwen's face in alarm. "Sheridan and Luis are unbreakable, but Tink," Hank continued, "Abby deserves a helluva lot better than you.wait, where the hell do you think you're going?" Hank called after Nick's form. "You stay away from her. You've done enough damage for one night. TAYLOR!" "Stay out of it, Bennett," Gwen muttered wearily, massaging her aching head "Nick and Abby are grown-ups. Obviously, they have enough problems without your interference." "But Babe," Hank protested. "No but's," Gwen declared decisively, leaving him fuming in the hall. "I know the kids are tired and cranky, but we're not leaving this hospital until I've told Sheridan goodnight."  
  
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"Women," Jake muttered as Abby raced past them all in the waiting room, seemingly without seeing any of them. Martin raised a brow at his young friend's comment, and Jake felt the need to explain himself further. "They're always upset about something. And they're usually PMSing." Theresa giggled beside them, pausing in her efforts to button up Cristian's coat and protect him from the blustery cold outside. Pilar tugged Cristian's hat down over his ears and shifted the dead weight of his sleeping body to her other hip before giving Jake a reproachful look. "Mijo," she scolded. "What?" Jake shrugged. "It's true. I bet you're PMSing too. You got that mean look on your face. Kinda like a fire-breathing dragon," Jake snickered. Pilar's mouth fell open in mortified astonishment. "No, Jake," Sara corrected him in a stage whisper, "Uncle Luis's Mom's not PMSing. She had THE CHANGE like Grandma." Theresa giggled helplessly at her mother's expression while Chad tried futilely to hide his tickled smirk from his future mother-in-law. "It's not polite to discuss such matters, Dears," Ivy told the two unrepentant children as she moved to help Pilar finish buttoning up Cristian's coat, keeping a concerned eye on Shane when Nick hurried by them moments after Abby as she did so. "I bet you had THE CHANGE too," Sara announced gleefully, pushing Emmy aside in annoyance when she tried to snuggle closer to her in her sleep. "And THAT," Ivy frowned as she finished wrapping Cristian's striped scarf around his neck, "was even LESS polite." "Hey! Don't look at me," Jake scowled when both Ivy and Pilar looked to him. "I only take credit for the good stuff. Besides.I heard somewhere that you should always kids to tell the truth, and the truth.well, it ain't always what you wanna hear," Jake finished astutely. "Young Bennett," Martin divulged with a sly whisper, "And a smart man-such as yourself-knows exactly the time to be quiet. Understand?" "Not really, but if you say so," Jake sighed. "Women."  
  
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"Abby! Abby, wait!" Nick shouted as his feet clattered down the stairs after her. "Abby, hear me out. It wasn't what you think." Abby stopped mid- flight, shoulders straightening proudly as she whirled around to face him, white-hot anger making her hazel eyes burn with the flecks of gold always present when Nick thought he'd die from wanting her. "Listen to me, Abby," he pleaded as he carefully descended the stairs, one by one. "Hear me, Abby, when I say this." he said softly, dropping his hand back to his side in resignation when she flinched away from his touch. "Abby," he breathed, pinning her in with his arms braced against the concrete wall on either side of her head. "I never meant to hurt you. Please, look at me," he whispered, grasping her chin in his fingers gently when she tried to look away from his intense gray gaze. "I trusted you.not to make a fool out of me, and you did," Abby's voice came out in a hurt-filled whisper. "You don't love me because you're afraid to. Admit it. I scare the hell out of you. I'm sorry, but I have more self- respect than to stay with a man who doesn't want me even if I didn't have enough intelligence to not go after him in the first place." "Abby, no," Nick protested, curling his fingers around her cheek, "I want you. I do. I've wanted you from the beginning, otherwise I wouldn't have given you a second look. I.I care for you very much. You make me happy, Abby. Few people have ever done that for me, but one look from you has the power to make me smile. Always. You're important to me. Don't you see? Dammit, Abby!" Nick cried out, slapping his palm against the wall behind her and startling her. "I want you in my life," Her hazel eyes melted and shimmered wet and bright. "But I don't think I'm capable of loving you the way you deserve to be loved," Nick waited for her reaction, and his gray eyes slammed shut when Abby slipped beneath his arms and he heard the click of her heels against the concrete floor and then her quiet answer. "It's not enough. Call me when you actually grow a pair. In the meantime, I don't think we should see much of each other."  
  
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"Just a few more minutes, Sir. I know you're the Chief of Police, but.I really shouldn't be doing this." Luis raised a hand up and nodded his head without looking up from his newborn daughter. "I know. Just another minute, okay?" The nurse's brown eyes melted at the love plainly exuding from the man before her as he whispered goodnight to his daughter, and knew one thing to be true.Hope Lopez-Fitzgerald was one lucky baby. In more ways than one. 


End file.
